Jamison Stern, Luba Mason, and Ali Ewoldt Photo by Diane Sobolewski

Haughty Helene Huber (Luba Mason) recently lost her husband, Helmut, and she expected a financial windfall but that is not the case. Charlotte St. Clair (Ali Ewoldt) was the man's nurse and she is the one who will get rid of whomever might prevent Helene from getting her expected inheritance. Jamison Stern is the exceptionally versatile actor who successfully takes on a variety of roles including a scheming attorney, people who sing on a cruise ship, and more. Performer Alex Dreschke gets to be a body double. Simple Mischief Studio gets credit for designing and fabricating a few puppets who definitely could secure Tony votes as best supporting inanimate actors.

Tresnjak and the talented composer Oran Eldor are fortunate to work with veteran actors who absolutely appear to be having the best time with this presentation. Luba Mason, who has been on Broadway nine times, gets it right with her personification of Helene who knows she should be an even richer middle aged woman. Ali Ewoldt appeared on Broadway in The Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, and The King and I. Her rendering of Charlotte St. Clair, in the current show, is anything but innocent; she has plenty of gumption. Jamison Stern, at the Goodspeed before and at least twice at TheaterWorks in Hartford, navigates new turf with the current show. He's fast on his feet and ready with his lines. Bravo to the actor for his whirling dervish of a performance. The actors deliver the musical numbers, from "The Widow's Lament" through the "Finale," with blasts of expression and quite a bit of pizzazz.

Designer Alexander Dodge effectively sets this play with engulfing red hues within the Huber Family Mansion in Rome. After a time, the scene shifts to an ocean liner. Tresnjak explained in a recent video that he was watching "The Great British Bake Off" toward the end of The Pandemic and knew that he needed to write something which would engender laughter. He and Oran Eldor spent some time, and it must have been joyful if not hilarious, creating this jaunty nearly two hour theatre piece.

Tresnjak might have referenced the old "Carol Burnett Show," for it's delightful to imagine Burnett, Harvey Korman, and Tim Conway cast in another version of Ask for the Moon. The snappy, cracking scripting propels the extravaganza forward. We know that Tresnjak is a consummate director from his time as artistic leader at Hartford Stage; his A Gentleman's Guide to Murder went to Broadway and he won a Tony Award. The public is probably less likely to know of his skill as a playwright. He authored Princess Turandot, which was performed in New York in 2000. He has indicated that he learned a lot about directing musicals some 25 years ago while working at the Goodspeed.

This farce finds everyone after something and that usually equates to financial gain. The writing is sharp and the performers are precise rather than improvisational. The production is still in a formative stage but, through Tresnjak's direction and Karla Puno Garcia's excellent choreography, it is most satisfying. Music director and conductor Ian Axness is also invaluable. Jen Caprio is the talented costumer who figured out a way for Jamison Stern to flip outfits in what seems like a couple of seconds.

Tresnjak jams in plenty of subplots so please do not expect to recall it all since that is very much beside the point. More important, this is original, imaginative stuff. In addition to Burnett, I thought of Gilbert & Sullivan when "A Piece of Cake" concluded the first act. If you choose to interpret the action and jokes literally, murder has more than something to do with the storyline. That said, it's all harmless enough, what with sight gags and exaggeration carrying the day and the play. From the very first visual and the fish (this might be a piranha) belching, it's impossible to be serious about the proceedings.

Ask for the Moon runs through August 11, 2024, at Goodspeed Musicals, Terris Theatre, 33 N Main St., Chester CT. For tickets and information, please call 860-873-8668 or visit Goodspeed.org.