That's the way the cookie crumbles

Brian and Stacy, the couple at the center of “TheGingerbread House,” won’t be winning any Parent of the Year awardsanytime soon. 

Their parenting motto — which certainly isn’t going toendear them to their offspring — is based less on unconditional loveand more on a  “when the going gets tough, get rid of the kids” mentality. So getting rid of the kids is just what they do.

This is the situation presented in the Lansing Community College production, which bows Friday.

Director Chad Badgero said Mark Schultz’s darkly comictake on the pitfalls and responsibilities of parenting is going to havepeople talking.

“I like that I really think it’s going to rattle people,”said Badgero. “There’s an element that anyone’s whose had kids canidentify with — they’ll be saying ‘I’ve felt that. It’s, ugly, but I’vefelt that’.”

Brian (Brian de Vries) and Stacey (Marianne Chan) havediscovered that raising their two children has not been quite assatisfying as they had hoped it would be and it’s gotten in the way oftheir own ambitions. So they devise a unique solution: They arrange tosell their kids to mysterious Albanian buyers in order to toss off theconstraints of parenting and further their careers.

“We can start our lives again,” Brian promises Stacey. “We can have it back. All of it.”

With help from Brian’s friend, Marco, a scheme is set into action.

“This really focuses on all the things you inevitablygive up or lose when you become a parent: sleep, free time, flexibilityin your schedule, a young, fit body,” said Badgero who is moonlightingfrom his day jobs as communication director of the Greater Lansing ArtsCouncil and artistic director of  the Peppermint Creek Theatre Co.

The cast includes Molly Epstein, Scott Crandall, Jacqui Marpa, Philip Franke and Edward O’Ryan.

“The show has a very acerbic wit to it. It is a comedy, but it’s also so ghastly,” Badgero said.

As opening night approaches, the director is wonderingwhat audiences — parents and non-parents alike — are going to get outof the twisted tale.

“All I can hope for and all I ever hope for is that theaudience will talk about what they’ve seen,” he said. “There’s a lot oftruth in the show.  I think people will be stunned by it, but find it gripping.”

‘The Gingerbread House’

Lansing Community College

8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23; Saturday, Sept. 24; Sept. 30 and Oct. 1

LCC Black Box Theatre, Room 168, Gannon Building

$10 adults; $5 students, LCC faculty, staff, alumni

(517) 483-1012

lcc.edu/cma/events