There are few things more annoying than having to listen to the persistent ring of a phone while you try to enjoy your meal.

When Jean goes to confront a man about his phone’s incessant ringing, she finds that he has died and she is plunged into the drama that the dead man’s cell phone brings to her life.

“It’s a quirky romantic comedy about a gal who answers a cell phone of a man who’s just died,” said Robert Hall, who is directing the Orcas Center’s next stage production entitled “Dead Man’s Cell Phone.” Written in 2007 by playwright Sarah Ruhl, it will be running at the center in the black box on June 22, 23, 24 and 30 and July 1 at 7:30 p.m. and July 2 at 2 p.m. Tickets for “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” are $17 for adults, $13 for students and $2 off for Orcas Center members at www.orcascenter.org. Subsidized tickets are available at the box office for $5.

“I really like the quirkiness of it,” said Hall. “I think it’s really a nice, sweet story; it’s also kind of poignant and contemporary.”

Hall is a familiar name and face at Orcas Center. He previously directed “Miracle Worker,” “Galileo,” and “Mary’s Wedding.”

“I’ve been doing so many dark, longing love stories and deep kind of things that I wanted to do something light, relatively frivolous and modern,” said Hall. “I like to do something different every time I direct and this is in the romantic comedy cannon genre.”

The play’s cast includes Luann Pamatian, Kelly Toombs and Dove Dingman. New to the stage at Orcas Center are Jessica Diamond, Travis King and Michelle Cartier.

“Working with them, and getting them ready and having fun with them is different and fun,” said Hall. “It had to be up and done pretty fast and furiously. This helped with that because it’s kind of a small cast.”

While Hall has designed and is building the stage, he is being assisted by Susie Shipman and Carol Whitbeck on costumes and wigs, Jake Perrine on lights and choreographer Tiffany Loney.