In the mood for a summer visit to Georgia?

For one wild and wacky evening in the backwoods, try "The Foreigner" through Saturday at the Huron Playhouse.

The well-deserved standing ovation opening night promises success for the playhouse.

It's a production with all the makings of a theatrical hit.

To begin with, Steve Boone's scenic design of a remote lodge deep in the Georgia countryside will blow you away. It's gorgeous. It includes a small "wooden" stairway and not one, but four working "wooden" doors. The "working" cast iron fireplace sits beneath a realistic "stone" wall.

Mounted wildlife juts out from walls. Some period furniture and even a tiny corner "bar" sets the mood for this outstanding production.

One by one, the audience is introduced to the seven primary cast members. And what a collection they are.

First there's Froggy, a pleasant Englishman and frequent visitor. He brings along his painfully shy friend, Charlie, who is terrified of conversation so Froggy brings him along to the lodge.

Next, we're introduced to a truly endearing old lady, Betty, the kindly caretaker and owner of the lodge. An engaged couple, Catherine and David, come next. A former debutante, she enters petulant and pouty with her finacee, a minister with big plans.

Ellard and Owen round out the key lodge cast. Ellard, Catherine's dim-witted brother, must be seen to be appreciated. He's backwater ignorance personified.

But whereas Ellard is innocent, Owen, the reverend's scary secret cohort, isn't. A short-tempered brute, his every move is ominous.

But even with such a tremendous cast, a play is nothing at all if there's no story to tell.

And this is a great story. Shy Charlie didn't expect all these people so Froggy comes up with a wild scenario in the face of Charlie's panic.

He tells Betty Charlie is a "foreigner" from a far-off country and must be handled carefully.

Longing for an exotic adventure, Betty jumps at the opportunity, waing on the "foreigner" hand and foot.

Then Catherine starts noticing Charlie, especially since it seems her beau is too busy to hear her pour her heart out.

Gradually -- you guessed it -- she too turns to Charlie.

And in the meantime, nobody pays any attention poor, ignorant Ellard.

Until, of course, the "foreigner" befriends him. Their mirror scene at the table is super fun.

And since there must be some conflict, audiences hear the plan David and Owen are hatching.

Fine acting fleshes out both the characters and their dimensional personalities. From her wig to her walk, Betty is a hoot. Elbows flaying, ankle socks beneath sensible shoes, she's the image of a kindly, bustling, older woman. Lynnette Lammers plays her beautifully.

Ellard is just great, too. In shabby overalls and old time tennies, he makes Gomer Pyle look debonair. Chris Kateff delivers a masterful portrayal. As he is eventually showered with respect, addled Ellard glows.

Owen is another gem. What a threatening hulk. In bulky boots, mottled jeans and a tight T shirt, Bob Russell creates a marvelous hairy, muscled maniac.

And with this lot of funny faces, one might expect the "normal" characters to be just that.

Don't bet on it.

Will Ledesma's Froggy is a friendly Brit but Charlie turns into a galloping lunatic. Tim Nicolai makes the magical transformation with ease. Forced to act the foreigner, he starts reluctantly then creates his own language and cavorts with the best of them.

Danielle Siver and Dan Hendrock play the not so happily engaged duo. She uses great facial expression. He delivers a fine, final metamorphosis.

There are some minor flaws. The explosion should be louder, auto arrivals too, and some accents waver a bit.

More terror would heighten the climax. And a little dialogue is hard to understand, usually due to laughter.

The script, by Larry Shue, is absolutely hilarious.

Scenic design by Steve Boone is reason alone to sample the show. And so are the seven eccentric characters who people it.

The players who flesh out the kooky cast are nothing short of wonderful. Abagayle Holverson's costumes are very good, especially on Betty, Owen and Ellard. Others are incidental, until the climatic final scene, that is, which you must experience for yourself.

Props, lighting and sound measure up from the storm to the flashing finale. Lynnette Lammers, Andrew Guban, and Fionnegan Murphy deserve credit here. "The Foreigner" is a super show. Director Ken McCoy has done a great job.

Curtain time is 8 p.m. The playhouse is in McCormick Middle School on Ohio Street in Huron. For tickets, call 419-433-4744.