Are you prepared for life’s next steps, especially if fluffy white clouds and gentle harp music and pearly gates aren’t involved?

Yup, The Light Fantastic on stage now at Road Less Traveled Theater is about the downside of the hereafter. Ike Holter’s script is strong and jam-packed with f-bombs in every permutation and declension. Co-directors Scott Behrend and John Hurley picked a cast that’s equal to the message and the verbiage, too. In brief, this team is f-ing wonderful.

Sassy Grace (Leah Berst) has returned to her native Indiana to crash at the big house owned by her f-buddy Eddie (Alejandro Gabriel Gomez). When she starts hearing things going bump in the night, she calls the police and the responding officer Harriet (Davida Evette Tolbert) turns out to be a high school pal who Grace burned. Something does happen there and despite a warning from Katrina (Melinda Capeles), Grace is in for more. In this case, the supreme spirit of evil is named Rufus and he’s a suave and smooth talkin’ hottie played by Greg Howze. He’s coming for Grace and she’s not going easy. And since karma is a you-know-what, her future is looking bleak. Even a mean girl wants her mom (Diane Di Bernardo) who turns up with a new beau in tow (Ricky Needham).

To say this is a killer cast is an understatement. Tolbert in particular delivers some of the best lines and moments: her monologue when she returns to the house yet again is an amazing feat of fast patter scripting and dead-on delivery. The other star of this show is the incredible set designed by Collin Ranney: the center is the big old house’s living room and the sides are the outdoors, in perfect perspective indicating a look down the road. These sides are super important as the force of evil makes inclement weather roll in. Katie Menke’s sound and projection designs and John Rickus’ light scape and special effects put you in the storm and the arms of the devil, too. The technical side (thanks to Lou Iannone and the rest of the crew) was quite spectacular and integral to the storytelling.

This is another bright spot in RLTP’s 20^th season of bold and inventive theater.

The Light Fantastic is one act (no intermission) and you’ll be on the edge of your seat when you’re cowering in fear. Or laughing at the quirky characters. Details and tickets at http://www.roadlesstraveledproductions.org.