On Theater:

So long as Ken Ludwig is writing plays and Gregory Cohen is directing them, the farce will be with us.

Ludwig is a past master of the outrageous-comedy genre, having created such howlers as “Lend Me a Tenor,” “Moon Over Buffalo” and “Twentieth Century.” Cohen is skilled in all genres of theater, but seems to specialize in the sort of showbiz-themed madness that has long been Ludwig’s bailiwick.

Put these two creative minds together and you have something akin to “Leading Ladies,” the current attraction at the Huntington Beach Playhouse. You might say it’s a drag — but only for the two principal actors, who must impersonate women to achieve their objective.

As are most Ludwig comedies, this one is set deep in the past in the American hinterlands — in York, Pa., circa 1952, to be exact. It centers on two touring Brits specializing in Shakespeare who discover that an elderly lady in that town is hoping to find her long-lost English relatives, each of whom stands to inherit $1 million.

The only catch, however, is that “Max” and “Steve” really are “Maxine” and “Stephanie,” but because the fellows have suitcases full of costumes, that’s a mere speed bump on the road to riches. And of course, the lads follow the lead of characters from “Some Like It Hot” and “Charley’s Aunt” and tumble for a pair of sweet young things, each linked romantically to another.

Under Cohen’s swiftly executed direction, “Leading Ladies” elicits a plethora of laughs, particularly — though not limited to — the central duo, Cort Huckabone and Garrett Chandler. These actors do yeoman duty in and out of drag as a sort of super-charged Laurel and Hardy, or Abbott and Costello.

Huckabone conducts the comedy like a musical maestro, orchestrating each outrageous incident on abbreviated notice. Chandler functions as the initially mute member of the con, hilarious as a overly tall lassie fighting for his/her honor.

As the comely young lady who charms Huckabone out of his socks, Elizabeth Ginnett is particularly appealing. She’s paired initially with a reincarnation of George Gobel — namely Jeff Bickel as an avaricious (and chronically cheap) clergyman with his ecclesiastical eye on his fiancee’s impending fortune.

The standout in a supporting cast full of them is Sabrina Zellars as a roller-skating teenage cutie who endures enough hugs from Chandler that she falls for him, much to the chagrin of Ryan Knight as her current swain.

Two other performers, an offstage couple, walk off with what’s left of the show. Al Underwood enacts a randy old goat of a doctor with his eye on Copen’s questionable allure.

And Joanne Underwood is a hoot as the moneyed old lady who refuses to go gently into the good night.

The director’s wife, Kysa Cohen, gets into the act as choreographer of an intricate number and the wildest curtain call you’ll see at a local theater this year.

Andrew Otero’s partially wallpapered setting provides an effective backdrop, while Joni Stockinger’s costumes are especially well chosen, as are Jon Hyrkas’ lighting effects.

“Leading Ladies” was presented at Golden West College. If you missed that one, and are in the mood for a good laugh, check out this version.

If You Go

What: “Leading Ladies”

Where: Huntington Beach Playhouse, Library Theater, 7111 Talbert Ave.

When: 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays through April 11

Cost: $18 to $20

Call: (714) 375-0696

TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Independent.