Professor turned playwright Terence O’Keefe, intelligent and cultured but way out of his element when he walks into the restaurant and heart of the Graziano family. Terence is there to ask for financial backing for his play, introduced to the family by Angie Graziano who is a former student. Angie, flamboyant and street-smart, wants to serve up more than pasta to Terence who doesn’t know what to do with this tasty but spicy dish. Angie’s father Lou brings in family associates, minor Mafia godfathers who are intrigued by the idea of producing a play. And things get wacky in every sense of the word.

It may come as a surprise to experienced theater-goers that Jared Sakren is directing Tom Dulack’s Breaking Legs. Mr. Sakren is well known as a Shakespearian specialist, in his fifth season as artistic director of Southwest Shakespeare Company and founding artistic director of Shakespeare Sedona. His classical training and experience with highly nuanced comedies balances the raucous flavor of this zesty comedy.

Mr. Sakren, who has taught at Juilliard and Yale School of Drama, directed last season’s hugely popular comedy, Lend Me A Tenor, which was fast-paced, silly in all the right places — a great piece of entertainment.

Michael Bailey makes his debut with Desert Foothills Theater as Terence. Mr. Bailey’s experience as a stand-up comic, appearing on VH-1 Stand-up Spotlight with Rosie O’Donnell and Comedy Central, gives extra juice to his performance as the off-balance but studly professor.

Annie Award-winner (for her role as Jamie in DFT’s world premiere play Happy Birthday, Katie Valentine), Katrina Reyes is the beautiful bombshell Angie. Katrina appeared in DFT’s 2004 production of Guys and Dolls. Angie’s father Lou is played by Valley theater veteran Don Crosby who received an ariZoni award nomination for his work in Happy Birthday, Katie Valentine.

Richard Briggs as Frankie who plays the horses; Evin Kennedy as Tino, a man of few words; and Louis Palmieri as Mike the flashy businessman with a strangely strangled laugh, round out the Breaking Legs cast.

The production staff of Ed Como (Scenic Design), Diane Welle (Costume Design), Mara Fishman (Lighting Design), Christopher Scinto (Sound Design), and Patricia Tonzi (Stage Manager) brings award-recognized professional quality design to the production. Diane Welle recently won an ariZoni Award for Costume Design for DFT’s production of Lend Me A Tenor.