The next Great Bend Community Theatre production, “Noises Off,” opens Thursday at the Crest Theater.

“It’s a play within a play,” director Chris Curtright said. As the actors of a play interact with one another off-stage, it affects their performances on-stage in this farce by playwright Michael Frayn.

“Their personal lives affect the show that they’re doing,” Curtright said.

The idea for “Noises Off” came when Frayn was watching a performance of one of his own plays from the wings, and thought what was happening off-stage was funnier than what the audience was seeing.

“It is ‘PG-13,’ Curtright said of the play’s content. “There are a few things in it that wouldn’t be appropriate for young children.”

This play features some GBCT veterans in the cast: Josie Hickey, Grady Bolding, Karen Gore, Matt Mazouch, Jim McVay, Jerry Renk and John Sturn. There are also two newcomers, Kenya Lear and Krystal Thorne. They both said they got involved in the local acting troupe because someone invited them.

“I’ve done skits at church for years,” Lear said. Curtright encouraged her to try out for the play and she’s loving the experience. “It’s a blast.”

Thorne got her invitation from Gore. “I thought it would be something different, fun,” she said.

The set for “Noises Off” is the most complex one that Curtright can recall seeing at the Crest Theater. It was built mostly by Mazouch with artistic design by Gore.

Play times are 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 15-17, with a 2 p.m. matinee next Sunday, Nov. 18. Tickets are $12. There’s also a social hour with wine and beer and snacks from 6-7 p.m. Saturday, which requires a $10 ticket. The box office is open from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1-2 p.m. on Nov. 18.