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Backstage at The Play That Goes Wrong

Jan 7, 2026

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Samuel Douglas does a physical and vocal warmup to prepare himself for “a lot of gags, a lot of getting hit in the head, all of that fun stuff” as Max in The Play That Goes Wrong.

“We warm up our wrists. We warm up our toes. We warm up our voices. We're doing everything we can do for what I think is the most physical play I've ever done,” says Chris Lanceley ahead of a performance of The Play That Goes Wrong.

“It’s in your bones,” says Sandra standby Maggie Weston, referring to the play’s meticulous staging. “You have a train route and sometimes your mind clicks off and you just know the route instinctively.”

Chris French, who plays Jonathan, mans a makeshift sound effect booth backstage for parts of the show. “Sometimes I teach classes with high schoolers and I describe it as my little medieval torture chamber because it's kind of what it looks like.”

Chris French warms up alongside Maggie Weston and production stage manager Aaron Watson. “There's a rhythm to the show, but the rhythms change depending on who's on. If there's an understudy on or if there's a new company member it's a slightly different rhythm,” says French.

The cast of The Play That Goes Wrong are abuzz backstage before an evening performance.

Kolby Kindle, Chris French and Trevor Braun get ready for The Play That Goes Wrong as the speakers blast Cher’s Christmas album, described by French as a "perennial favorite” among the cast.

Kolby Kindle relaxes with a preshow tea before the high-octane antics of The Play That Goes Wrong.

“I've never played a sport, but our dressing room can be compared to a locker room,” says Trevor Braun, who plays Dennis in The Play That Goes Wrong. “We're all getting each other hyped up to do the show because it’s so physical. So it has that warm up sort of quality, getting our energy ready to throw each other around and hit each other in the face.”

“Whenever I forget to do something like put my costume in the right place, the wardrobe team writes ‘SHAME,’” says Kolby Kindle, who plays Trevor in The Play That Goes Wrong. “Yeah, we like to really bully each other here.”

The Play That Goes Wrong understudies Brandon Haagenson and Geoffrey Allen Murphy share a laugh backstage.

Evan Alexander Smith dons Chris Bean's signature mustache with company manager Jolie Gabler’s pooch Reggie on his lap. “We don't have mics and sometimes it really feels like you're screaming over the audience. For me it's mostly about getting my breath going,” he says of the show’s vocal demands. “I also try to get my voice in a lower register because I end up having to push it up so high during the show.”

Trevor Braun and Samuel Douglas make last minute adjustments before it's curtain up for The Play That Goes Wrong.

Chris Lanceley, who plays Robert in The Play That Goes Wrong, is currently leading the cast's fantasy football team.

Joanie Anderson plays stage manager Annie, which allows her to directly engage with the audience. “We invite them into the chaos and the unsettledness of what the show is. I enjoy playing with them.”

Joanie Anderson smiles in her seasonal apparel backstage at The Play That Goes Wrong.

Liana Hunt gets her wig secured to play Sandra in The Play That Goes Wrong. However, Hunt anticipates that it won’t stay in place for long. “I literally get rag-dolled out of the window and then slammed into the wall three times and then my neck's flopping. I come back looking a little tousled.”

Liana Hunt touches up her lipstick before a performance of The Play That Goes Wrong.

Liana Hunt beams in her bob backstage.

Liana Hunt and Evan Alexander Smith get cozy backstage at The Play That Goes Wrong.

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