He’s back: Ryan Kiley returns to Mansfield Playhouse stage for ‘Who’s on First?’

MANSFIELD — Ryan Kiley spent a quarter of a century making audiences howl with laughter at the Mansfield Playhouse.

And then, five years ago, like a wind whipping down the plain, the powerful comedic actor from Mansfield just stopped after a hilarious turn in “Leading Ladies.”

That show staged in February 2020 — the final Playhouse offering before COVID-19 cast a pall over many group activities, including community theater.

That absence ends Friday night when Kiley celebrates his birthday back on the stage as part of the four-person cast of the nightmare comedy, “Who’s on First?”

Kiley accepted the role as a favor to his old friend, Doug Wertz, the artistic director at the East Third Street theater, joining a cast that includes Eric Gustafson, Heidi Ankrum and DeeDee Welshans.

It apparently is a one-time return to the stage for Kiley, who said his work and life schedule simply doesn’t allow the six-week time commitment needed for a show.

Kiley said his life has changed dramatically in the last five years, including added work responsibilities.

But he was willing to help Wertz, a man he has shared the stage with numerous times in shows like the “Tuna” series and in the improv group “Four Clunkers and a Chevy.”

“It’s one time,” Kiley said Monday evening before a dress rehearsal.

“Doug asked for me to and I was glad to help him out because he was in a little bit of a bind with the cast. He needed another guy,” Kiley said.

“He asked me to to join and I agreed, but yeah, this is a one-and-done kind of thing for me,” Kiley said. “I don’t have the time for it anymore.”

Kiley, who made his Playhouse debut in 1996, said he has felt comfortable back on stage.

“It’s kind of like riding a bike. You get up there and it feels natural and everything like that, but unfortunately, the amount of time that it takes … that’s the killer for me.

“I do enjoy it and I know the audience is going to love it. I’m going to love performing for an audience again, but I don’t think there’s another one in me, unfortunately,” Kiley said.

This version of “Who’s on First?” has nothing to do with the famous Abbott and Costello comedy skit.

Here is the premise in the play written by Jack Sharkey in 1975: Take a husband, wife, lover and friend, add a strange lamp, a gun and a rubber chicken. Stage a party that begins at 8 p.m., then again at 8 p.m. and then again at 8 p.m. and you have this nightmare comedy.

Four people find themselves reliving one horrible hour over and over as themselves, as Japanese, as British aristocrats, as gangsters, and almost anything else you can think of.

Time never stands still … but audience members do relive it.

Kiley said cast members are “still making each other giggle” during rehearsals.

“That’s always a good sign when we can’t stop laughing. That means the audience is probably going to laugh. as well,” he said.

(Below are photos from a Monday night dress rehearsal of “Who’s On First?” The comedy opens Friday night for a two-weekend run at the Mansfield Playhouse. The story continues below the photo gallery.)

Wertz said he is thrilled to have his friend back on stage.

“It’s fantastic. He belongs here. He’s so much fun to watch. I enjoy his energy so much and I’m so happy that he came back,” he said.

“It’s just a riot. It really is … the chemistry that he has with the other cast members. We’ve laughed at every single rehearsal,” Wertz said.

Gustafson, a Playhouse veteran who has directed shows in which Kiley has performed, said it’s the first time he has shared the stage with his friend.

“I’ve always appreciated his acting abilities … watching him on stage. And I’ve directed him before. But acting with him … that was one of my bucket list things,” said Gustafson, who was last on stage in December in “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play.”

Like Kiley and Ankrum, Gustafson has the advantage of having directed shows himself.

“The directing part is just kind of seat-of-your pants stuff for me. You just look at the picture and you try to make sure that the picture is what you imagined it to be. With acting, it gives me a good appreciation for what Doug has to do.

“So when he gives notes, I’m not taking it personally. It’s just one of those things. He wants to paint a picture and he’s telling me how to do it,” Gustafson said.

Ankrum, who directed the Playhouse Second Stage show “Wonderland Wives” in November, said the “Who’s on First?” script made her laugh out loud.

“I’m on (the Playhouse) play reading committee. I read it and it’s really hilarious. I don’t usually laugh out loud when I read plays. I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s funny, but this one made me laugh out loud in several places,” Ankrum said.

“I’ve never seen a play quite like it,” she said.

Like Gustafson, she is happy to share the stage with Kiley for the first time.

“I’ve stage managed him before, which was a hoot-and- a-half. It’s fun because we’re friends, so we have a lot of fun, just hanging out and doing things.

“It’s been a lot of fun being on stage with him because we both have over-acting energy. So I think we play well off of each other because we both like to make big characters,” Ankrum said.

Welshans, who performed in “Wonderland Wives” in November, makes her main stage debut in “Who’s on First?”

“The script seemed fun and a small cast is always fun,” she said. “I hope I don’t crack on stage because it’s so funny and it’s hard not to.”

Going face-to-face with Kiley in a scene is one of those moments, she said.

“He is one of the reasons that I probably crack on stage the most. In one of our scenes together, he’s very up in my face and I have to keep serious and he doesn’t really have to stay serious. But I do and it’s very, very hard,” she said with a laugh.

“Last Friday he had me backstage on my knees laughing so hard I could not stand up straight,” Welshans said.