Prepare for laugh-out-loud comedy as Olympic Theatre Arts presents “The Explorers Club,” its opening main stage production for the 2017-2018 season.

“This is very entertaining theater; it pokes fun with no boundaries,” says OTA executive director Carol Willis.

The play was written by Nell Benjamin and is directed by Olivia Shea, one of the founding members of Olympic Theatre Arts. It is a period piece that takes place in London in 1879 where the prestigious Explorers Club is in crisis. Their acting president wants to admit a woman and their bartender is terrible.

The cast of characters, which includes eight men and one woman, has been selected and rehearsals are under way. The cast, which includes a few actors new to OTA, includes:

• Lucius Fretway, a botanist and a man of science, is played by Colby Thomas, last seen in the 2016 production of “The Real Inspector Hound” and “The 15 minute Hamlet.”

• Harry Percy, an intrepid explorer and the pompous club president, is played by Greg Scherer, who is a welcome newcomer to the OTA stage.

• Professor Walling, a zoologist who carries his pet guinea pig around, is played by Josh Sutcliffe — last seen on OTA main stage playing a woman in “The Importance of Being Earnest.”

• Professor Cope, an herpetologist (amphibians, reptiles, snakes, etc.) is played by Pat Owens, who was in last season’s “The Gin Game.”

• Luigi, a NaKong tribesman, played by Dave McInnes. No stranger to OTA, McInnes was last seen in the 2016 production of “Something’s Afoot.”

• Sir Bernard Humphries, private secretary to Queen Victoria, is played by Richard Hendricksen, also well-known among OTA audiences and last seen in” Over the River and Through the Woods.”

• Professor Sloane, an archeo-theologist, is played by Carl Honore, last seen in “Twelfth Night.”

• Beebe, an explorer is played by Joe Shultz. Last seen in “Over the River and Through the Woods.”

• Phyllida Spotte-Hume, an anthropologist, played by Liz Duvall. She also plays Countess Glamorgan, twin to Phyllida. Duvall was last seen as Gwendolyn in the OTA production of “The Importance of Being Earnest.”

“These actors are extremely talented,” Willis says. “It’s a show not to miss.”

The Explorers Club runs from Oct. 20-Nov. 5.

Tickets are $16 for adults and $12 for students with school ID card. Tickets are available at the box office, from 1-5 p.m., Monday through Friday, or online at www.olympictheatrearts.org.

For more information, call 360-683-7326.