The pre-show music for "But I'm Still Slightly Confused," a new comedy by Lawrence B. Fox, is Neil Young's "Old Man" and The Tempations' "Ball Of Confusion."

These are apt choices, setting the tone of growing old and hopefully wiser for the two-act compendium of nine loosely-connected sketches in the comedy.

Directed by Ralph Montesano and featuring a cast of Lehigh Valley stage veterans, "But I'm Still Slightly Confused," continues at 7 p.m. March 20 and 21 and 3 p.m. March 22, Fowler Blast Furnace Room, ArtsQuest Center, SteelStacks, 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem.

The through-line for the sketches is a restaurant bar presided over by Shorty (a droll Gary Boyer), who keeps the chit-chat going with Tootie (Vicki Montesano at her effervescent best) and Reggy (Jack Armstrong, playing it dumb smartly). Meanwhile, Waldo (Larry Fox, yes, the playwright) sits silently at the bar, head in hand.

The play weaves stories in and out of the fabric of Valley life, including the former Bethlehem Steel south side plant, visits to the doctor's office, cell phone use, the PPL Center hockey arena, a funeral, a diner and a horse racing track. Fox's script also touches upon concerns of the day, including health care, Social Security and The Weather Channel.

The actors play multiple roles, including Rebecca Wenhold-Kuhns, Mickey Brown, Jen Kurtz, Syd Stauffer and Mike Febbo.

Each actor is good at juggling their various roles and making each distinctive. Kurtz is a stand-out in at least two scenes, that of Ms. Ragsdale, a sales person, and Agnes, a waitress. Stauffer is hilarious as Lady In Chair and Butch.

Montesano utilizes the room to best effect, including curtains on both sides of the stage that create a more intimate setting. A window curtain is raised to reveal the former blast furnaces, lit in multi-colored lights at night, which backdrop the steel plant scene effectively.

The sketches are in the style of SCTV, but with the gentle humor of a bygone era. It's "Saturday Night Live" meets "The Red Skelton Show." The presentation is that of black-outs, in that the stage goes to black at the end of one scene and the lights are brought up for the next. There is some voice-over narration.

Fox's script is replete with true-life insights. Most engender chuckles. Some out laugh-out-loud funny.

Support local original theater and area actors. Go see "But I'm Still Slightly Confused." You may be still confused, but you'll be laughing.