People are not always how they initially appear in Larry Shue's comedy, "The Foreigner," at Taproot Theatre.

Yearning for some peace and quiet, Charlie, a visitor from Britain, checks into a fishing lodge in rural Georgia for a few days. In attempt to save Charlie from having to communicate with anyone, his friend "Froggy" introduces him as an exotic foreigner who cannot speak or understand English.

Charlie's plan for solitude goes awry as he finds himself discovering scandals amongst some of the lodge's residents. Caught in the middle of chaos, Charlie pretends to be ignorant of what is happening around him. Charlie, a doormat with a rather drab life, slowly builds confidence through a series of crazy events.

Director Karen Lund sets the play in 1986, a year after playwright Shue was killed, at the age of 39, in a plane crash. The play, written in 1983, was still running off-Broadway at the time of the crash. Although the action takes place at a lodge, it may as well be at a trailer park, with its Southern "white trash" characters.

Scott Nolte and Kim Morris reprise their roles as the foreigner and Betty Meeks from Taproot's 1996 production. Nolte's comic timing is particularly strong as Charlie, when he teaches the other residents about his culture. As Betty, the elderly landlady, Morris is over-the-top with her enthusiasm and her thick Southern drawl.

Jason Adkins is the quintessential redneck as Owen Musser, appearing comically ignorant at one moment and creepy and threatening the next. When Charlie becomes the center of attention, Don Brady shows some vulnerability as the sergeant, Froggy. Matthew Edwards plays up the naivety of the dim-witted Ellard Simms.

As Reverend David Marshall Lee, Darrell Olson subtly morphs from the boy next door to a devilish troublemaker. Nikki Visel plays a multitude of emotions as pregnant Catherine Simms, the girlfriend of Rev. Lee. Gary Cable, Mike James and David Selvig add to the play's tension and suspense, near the conclusion.

As the scenic designer, Mark Lund creates a fishing lodge with multiple levels for the actors to play with as the action takes place all over the stage. As the sound designer, he adds to the setting with some nature sounds, such as the noise of chirping birds, rain and thunder.

Costume designer Sarah Burch Gordon notably suggests the 80's era with Simms' outfits, complete with ruffles and large jewelry. Although the play gets off to a slow start with character development, things pick up in the second half. All of the characters, except for Betty, reveal different sides to themselves as the plot unfolds. The play still manages to convey the age-old message, "don't judge a book by its cover."

"The Foreigner" runs through June 17 at the Taproot Theatre, located at 204 N. 85th St. in Greenwood. Tickets are $15-$30. Call 206-781-9707 or visit www.taproottheatre.org.