As the cast of "The Little Foxes" scurried around the set during a Saturday morning rehearsal, Althea Phillips anticipated the first performance of her career as president of the Lansing Civic Players.

"This is the day you say it will never work, it will never make it," she said. "But you know what? It always makes it."

"The Little Foxes" is the first scheduled play of the season, and will begin Friday at the Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbott Road.

The play, set in the south during the 1900s, portrays two greedy families, the Giddens and the Hubbards, who plot to make money by opening a cotton mill. In the process, the middle-class families casually, but relentlessly, hurt each other and the slaves they employ.

Written by Lillian Hellman in 1939, the play was made into a movie two years later. The movie starred Bette Davis in the leading role as the ruthless Regina Giddens. It was nominated for Best Picture at the 1941 Academy Awards.

"The play deals with greed, double-dealing, family conflict and an ending that will leave the audience wondering what could happen next," director Susan Chmurynsky said. "It will be interesting to see how the audience will receive such unsympathetic characters."

Chmurynsky said she looked for cast members who brought chemistry and personality to the characters.

"I'm convinced my cast is excellent and strong," she said. "Some people say that because we are a community theater, I should take (casting) more lightly, but that is no excuse.

"You do the best you can do."

Lansing actress D. J. Morgan said she auditioned for the role of Regina Giddens for many reasons.

"I have to become snappish, chilling, cold and just terrible," she said. "This is the role of a lifetime."

Even with a résumé of 15 different leads under her belt, Morgan said this role will be her most difficult.

"So many emotions are played into Regina - and I - with a history for playing charming and nice characters, have to show her for the malevolent person she is," she said. "That, for me, is the real challenge."

In reality, Morgan said she hopes she is nothing like her character.

"The only thing we have in common is that we both have older brothers," she said.

With less than a week before the curtains rise, Phillips said the combination of an excellent director and a strong cast will make the play a success.

"There's always a danger in doing plays like these where we have to teach people how to have an accent, how to eat and how to walk," she said. "But, despite all the differences of the time period, I am sure we will get people to watch this play.

"Besides, there is a little Hubbard and Giddens in everybody."