Step aside, cheap laughs and cheesy comedies; there’s a new kid in town, and its name is the American farce.

Created by playwright Michael Parker, the farce provides a new kind of entertainment. Filled with fast-paced, subtle humor minus the over-dramatization of stereotypical characters, the American farce portrays a unique blend of American and British humor.

Parker, international playwright of 10 successful, comical, and somewhat sexually suggestive plays, has published his most recent farce, “Sex Please, We’re Sixty,” catching the eye of Stage Crafters Community Theatre. In preparation for opening night Friday at the Fort Walton Beach Municipal Auditorium, research was done to understand all aspects of the American farce and its elements on the stage.

In an exclusive interview, Parker gave his insight on this ever-growing form of theater.

“The farce is composed of three elements,” he said. “Visual, verbal, and circumstantial. It is fast-paced, upbeat, and sucks the dead air out of the stage.”

The American farce is beginning to gain worldwide recognition as it is performed in countries such as Germany, Austria, Denmark, Finland and Pakistan, among others.

“It surprises me that the plays have been translated to other languages in non-English-speaking countries, because I do tend to play on words,” Parker said. “However, there are still those visual and circumstantial elements that remain universal. It doesn’t matter where you are; a butler who accidentally gets his hands stuck to a woman’s brassiere is still going to be funny because of the odd circumstance and the visual nature of the situation.”

Inspired by Sir Brian Rix in the 1960s while living in England, Parker saw his first performance of a British farce at The White Hall Theatre and found himself roaring with laughter.

In 1988, while living in the Caribbean, he found the local theater and spoke to a director about doing a British farce performance. The director suggested that it was “too British” and did not translate well. It was then that Parker found his destiny — to create the American farce. That’s when he wrote his first play, “The Sensuous Senator,” originating from the sex scandal of Senator Gary Hart.

Now, Parker and his wife, Susan, walk the shore close to their Venice, Fla., home as they brainstorm situations and characters. Susan co-authored the two most recent plays, one of which is “Sex Please, We’re Sixty.”

“My favorite thing is writing with Susan. I feel like a better playwright because of her. She keeps me from getting stale and I will never write a play alone again,” Parker said.

“Sex Please, We’re Sixty” is filled with ordinary people caught in extraordinary circumstances. When Parker and his wife vacationed in Southern Italy, they caught a glimpse of a strange advertisement above a cluster of dried, hanging peppers —“The Natural Viagra For Women.”

From this, a story was born, and “Venusia,” the libido-booster for the more mature woman, came to life.

Later, during a routine beach walk, Parker and his wife questioned, “What if it had the opposite effect on men, complete with menopausal behavior, mood swings, and hot flashes?”

They could hardly contain their laughter and knew this had to be written.

“I love to go and sit in the audience when someone performs one of my plays. I like to sit, close my eyes, and just listen to the laughter of the audience,” Parker said. “That’s the funny thing; people never realize how much each other are laughing.

“Tell Stage Crafters Community Theatre that I am delighted that they chose our play. I wish all of you the best of success.”

New director John Guzalak said, “I’m very enthused to be working with such a funny storyline in ‘Sex Please, We’re Sixty,’ as well as a great veteran cast.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that these very talented individuals can construct both humorous and believable performances with their roles in this show that will leave our audiences reeling with laughter.”

The evening curtain time for “Sex Please, We’re Sixty” is 7:30 Friday at the Municipal Auditorium, 107 Miracle Strip Parkway in Fort Walton Beach. It will continue Saturday and Sunday and again March 19-21. Curtain time for Sunday matinees is 2 p.m.

Included in the cast and staff are: Denis Milonas, Nancy Kruzek, Thomas Hood, Marcia WrightReynolds, Michele Edge Greene, Jane Judkins, Pam Strecker, Ed Kelley and Kevin Clemons.

Tickets are $15 each available at Connect With Flowers in Shalimar, P.S. Gifts in Fort Walton Beach, Dowd Title Group in Destin, Bayou Books in Niceville and all Century 21 offices in Okaloosa as well as at the door.

Visit stagecrafters.com online or call 850-243-1101.