This summer’s University Theatre will be serving up laughs at home this weekend before traveling around the state.

University Theatre is presenting three comedies: “The Complete History of America (Abridged),” “A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking” and “Red Herring,” which will travel to Boyne City and Waterford in July after spending the rest of this week at Central Michigan University. “The Complete History of America (Abridged)” premiers tonight at 7:30 p.m. in Moore Hall’s Bush Theatre and runs again Sunday at 2 p.m.

“A Couple White Chicks Sitting Around Talking” will be performed on Thursday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and “Red Herring” will be performed on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $5 for students and senior and $7 for the general public.

“A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking,” is exactly that, said director and communication and dramatic arts professor Tim Connors.

Set in 1980, Hannah Mae, an extremely chatty woman who recently moved to a suburban neighborhood from Texas, visits her uptight neighbor Maude each morning for a week.

“Both women end up confronting marital issues,” Connors said. “It has serious undertones but it’s played for comedy.”

White Lake senior Natalie Loveland plays Hannah Mae and said she’s never been in a show with such an intimate cast.

“I’m so glad to be working with Natalie,” said Midland junior Elise Essenmacher. “If you had to perform with someone you didn’t like, it wouldn’t be much fun.”

Following in the success of last fall’s “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged),” the comedy on American history was penned by the same writers and has a similar premise: three male actors attempt to act out the history of the nation.

The actors use songs, dances, and audience participation to pull it off.

“It’s just a real wacky look at all American history,” said Director of University Theatre Steve Berglund. “It’s irreverent in its approach. It makes fun of almost everything.”

The play, he said, jokes about George Washington and Betsy Ross and her “sister,” Diana Ross.

“It has some nuggets of American history, but you can’t be sure which to trust,” he said.

“Red Herring” centers around three intertwining love stories, a murder mystery and a nuclear espionage plot.

The play is written in film noir style with a twist at the end of each scene.

“It’s so complicated. You gotta pay attention during the show,” said Shelby Township junior and actor Zachrey York.

Despite the complicated plot, York said it is still a comedy and many of the characters play multiple roles.

“The show is different than a lot of the stuff we do. The audience can get into it and think and connect the dots,” he said.

“A Coupla White Chicks” and “The Complete History” contain mild adult language and situations with parental guidance recommended for those under age 13.

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