David (Eddie VanHartman) tries to get Owen (Greg Teghtmeyer) to play along with Charlie’s language lesson. Pictured from left are Alissa Smith, Gerald Cox, VanHartman and Teghtmeyer. (Photos by Amanda McFarland)

WARSAW — A foreigner named Charlie has arrived and he and his newfound friends are about to learn a lot about courage.

For two weekends, the Center Street Community Theatre will present Larry Shue’s, “The Foreigner,” opening at the Wagon Wheel this weekend.

In “The Foreigner,” when Englishman Froggy LeSeur (Chris Mahan) introduces his friend Charlie Baker (Gerald Cox) to the owner of a bed and breakfast in Georgia, he tells her Charlie is a foreigner who does not speak or understand English.

In reality, Charlie, also English, is simply so shy, the thought of conversation with strangers sends him into a panic. Froggy’s plan is for the owner, Betty Meeks (Cindy Nash), and her guests to give Charlie space and not try to speak with him. Instead, they are so taken with him, they will not leave him alone.

Soon, Charlie gets to know Betty, guest Catherine Simms (Alissa Smith), Catherine’s special-needs brother, Ellard (Eric Totheroh), her fiance, Rev. David Marshall Lee (Eddie VanHartman) and David’s volatile friend, Owen Musser (Greg Teghtmeyer), better than they know.

Believing he cannot understand them, Betty and her guests are less guarded around Charlie and he quickly learns David is marrying Catherine for her money. The plot thickens when Owen, whose disliking for Charlie is clear from the first meeting, sends the local Klan to do away with the foreigner.

The play shifts between moments of intensity and moments of hilarity as Charlie tries his best to keep up his act of being a foreigner while at the same time dealing with Owen, whose blood continues to boil, and David, who sees Catherine’s affections slipping away, along with his chances at a fortune.

When the Klan arrives, Owen in the lead, Charlie and his companions must call on every last ounce of courage and intellect they possess to defend themselves.

“The Foreigner” opens this weekend, with performances at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26, Saturday, 27, Friday, March 4, and Saturday, March 5. Tickets are $12 in advance or at the door.

Director Beth Anne Cox feels cast members are perfect for their roles and noted that each enjoys his or her particular role. Even Teghtmeyer enjoys playing the “bad guy,” she said.

“This cast nailed their roles,” she said.

Teghtmeyer described Owen as, “one of those guys that you love to hate.”