If you were to fall asleep after watching “Saturday Night Live,” “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” and “Dragnet,” the madcap mash-up filling your dreams might very well look something like Paul Portner’s “Shear Madness.” The zany production, now being staged at Good Theater, is an interactive whodunit that keeps the laughs coming with rapid-fire improv and quick-witted jabs at current events.

“Shear Madness” originated in Boston and has been running there for 36 years. Although it has been staged at other locations throughout the United States, Good Theater’s production marks the first time Cranberry Productions, the company that owns and manages “Shear Madness,” has allowed the play to be staged so close to home.

To secure the rights, Good Theater underwent a thorough background check, and Artistic Director Brian P. Allen agreed to work with the Boston company for the better part of a week to get an education in “Shear Madness 101.”

Allen was then tasked with reworking the script to be set in Portland, with updated jokes and references.

Good Theater also had to build a set to coordinate with the teal hair styling equipment and props, rented from the Las Vegas Company of “Shear Madness.” The vibrant set is fully functional, with running hot water and electricity.

The extra work was worth it. Good Theater’s “Shear Madness” is not only laugh-out-loud funny but also an engaging opportunity for the audience to help solve a murder.

Expect the unexpected when seeing this invigorating production. The six-member cast does have a script, with three possible endings, but even they don’t know how it will end at the start of the play, and what happens in between is largely a free-for-all based on audience and cast interaction.

With the audience asking questions and proposing theories, the cast has to be prepared to ad lib responses and come up with on-the-spot punch lines. And, the audience interaction doesn’t pause for intermission.

The air crackled with excitement Friday as audience members cornered Timothy C. Goodwin (Nick O’Brien) outside the restrooms and upstairs by concession, eager to show off their investigating skills. Goodwin, who has been in seven prior productions of “Shear Madness,” seemed to revel in the interaction.

Good Theater’s cast is also quite adept at flinging audience-directed zingers. Laughter erupted Friday when Kathleen Kimball (Barbara DeMarco) teased a question-asking audience member about shopping at Marden’s.

Even the cast had trouble stifling laughter Friday, cracking each other up with hilarious one-liners and outrageous antics. Michael Wood (Tony Whitcomb), in particular, was a scene-stealing loose cannon, at one point landing an unexpected kiss that left the audience and cast sputtering with laughter.

As part of the licensing agreement, Good Theater had to cast at least three Equity actors in “Shear Madness.” The theater chose wisely with Maine-based actors Wood and Laura Houck (Mrs. Shubert) and New York-based actor Goodwin. The three fed off of each other with ease, keeping the audience guessing what they would do next.

Local favorites Kimball, Paul Drinan (Eddie Lawrence) and Conor Riordan Martin (Mikey Thomas) round out the wonderful cast, dishing out more than their fair share of well-timed quips, priceless facial expressions and amusing antics.

“Shear Madness” is a fun-filled ride from start to finish. With Good Theater’s masters of improv shaping the cutting-edge humor, each performance is guaranteed to offer something new. You may very well be tempted to see it more than once during its eight-week run.

April Boyle is a freelance writer from Casco. Contact her at: aprilhboyle@yahoo.com.

Twitter: @ahboyle

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