BY J.P. DEVINE

The dust of winter has been wiped away, the seats scrubbed, lights adjusted and ticket windows washed. The amazing Theater At Monmouth, a legendary force in Maine theater, is about to begin its 39th season, opening with the now famous Monmouth Black Fly Follies, an annual bash of comedy and music.

"Black Fly" is followed by the opening of the regular season with one of the greatest, indefatigable comedies of all time, "Arsenic and Old Lace", written by Joseph Kesselring in 1939. Unlike the parade of elderly gentlemen in the play, "Arsenic" is eternal, a laugh getter that seemingly never dies. Most of you will remember "Arsenic" from the 1944 Frank Capra movie starring Cary Grant, Josephine Hull and Jean Adair.

There's no better way to spend a summer evening than with the Brewster family, one theater critic, (Mike Anthony) two sweet, crazy homicidal aunts, (Maureen Butler and Janis Stevens) a brother who looks like Boris Karloff (Bill Van Horn) and a stage full of broad, outrageous comic characters.

"Arsenic" plays July 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 24, Aug. 2, 6, 8, 10, 16, 19, 23.

IRMA VEP:

My money is on this one to break box office records. In "Irma Vep" two actors, Monmouth's two master comic artists, Dustin Tucker and Mike Anthony, play eight roles in a comic mystery set in a spooky English moorland mansion. Expect an Egyptian tomb robber, a mummy, vampire and a perfectly charming werewolf.

The Mystery of Irma Vep by Charles Ludlam - July 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 30, Aug. 5, 9, 12, 13, 17, 23.

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE:

Shakespeare's most troublesome play, one that cooked up, through the centuries, disturbing conversations about anti-semitism. Set in 1596 in Venice, where the greatest of intolerance against Jews was festering, the character Antonio (Dan Olmstead)finds himself deeply in debt to the usurer Shylock, (Bill Van Horn, tackling one of the great roles) who proposes an unusual deal. If Antonio does not repay the debt without any interest within three months, Shylock will take his one pound of flesh instead. And he's not kidding.

The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare - July 25, 26, 27, 31, Aug. 7, 9, 15, 20, 22.

A WINTER'S TALE:

One of Shakespeare's most visually interesting plays. King Leontes of Bohemia (Dan Olmstead) suspects his wife, Hermione, (actor/director Jeri Pitcher) and his friend, Polixenes, (David Greenham) of betraying him. When he forces Polixenes to flee for his life, Leontes sets in motion a chain of events that lead to death, a ferocious bear, an infant left in the snow, Young love, and a statue coming to life.

A Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare - Aug.1, 2, 3, 6, 13, 14, 16, 21.

The Theater at Monmouth has a couple of other surprises up its curtained sleeve for you.

Be sure to make reservations for "THE THREE LITTLE PIGS", written by David Greenham and Marcia Gallagher, an absolutely delightful family funfest, playing - Aug. 5, 7, 10, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 22.

And just when you thought it was over . . .

For desert, Monmouth once again brings to the stage one of the great, maybe greatest of Gilbert and Sullivan's comic operettas:

THE MIKADO

The story of "The Mikado" revolves around a young fellow named Nanki-Poo who has banished himself from the little town of Titipu. Nanki-Poo, it seems, has fallen in love with a beautiful young lady called Yum-Yum.

Unfortunately, Yum-Yum is engaged to be married to her guardian, the tailor Ko-Ko. However, when Nanki-Poo hears that Ko-Ko has been condemned to death for the capital crime of flirting . . . oh no, I can't give THAT away. The Mikado requires a closet full of enormous talents to pull off, and Monmouth has always come through.

The Theater at Monmouth 39 years young and better than ever.