The Fountain Hills Theater opens a new production Friday evening.

In 1939 radio ruled and Sheridan Whiteside was its witty prince.

While on a national lecture tour, he consents to have dinner at the home of dizzy matron Daisy Stanley and her rich husband.

Before he can enter, he slips on a patch of ice, falls, breaks his hip and must be carried inside where he becomes an unwelcome houseguest, running up huge phone bills making long-distance calls to world leaders, monopolizing the servants, filling the house with exotic animals and meddling with the lives of everyone in the household.

He quickly becomes “The Man Who Came to Dinner,” the guest who outstays his welcome.

Such is the premise behind the next stage production being offered by Fountain Hills Theater.

Writers George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart based the Whiteside character on theater critic Alexander Woollcott. Other characters were modeled after famous people of the day, such as comedian Harpo Marx, singer and actress Gertrude Lawrence and even Lizzie Borden.

“The Man Who Came to Dinner” is produced by Patricia Tonzi, directed by Wanda McHatton and features Kevin Berman, Heidi Carpenter, Rick Davis, Bob Feugate, Bill Graham, Bruce Halperin, Donna Kaufman, Erin McFeely, Virginia Olivieri, Van Rockwell, Tanya Schoenwolf, Janine Smith, Charles Sohn,

J. Kevin Tallent and Tom Vinopal.

“The Man Who Came to Dinner” will play April 4-20.

Performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

A free reception, featuring appetizers hosted by Moxie Modern Fare, will be held at 7 p.m. for all those attending the opening night performance Friday, April 4.

Individual tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for children 17 and under. Seniors receive a $5 discount on all Thursday performances.

All performances are at Fountain Hills Theater on its Mainstage at 11445 N. Saguaro Blvd. (corner of Saguaro and Rand).

Tickets are available through the Theater Box Office at (480) 837-9661, ext. 3, and on-line at www.fhtaz.org.

Box office hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

“The Man Who Came to Dinner” is produced through special arrangement with Dramatist Play Service.