Displaying items by tag: mystery

Murder, intrigue, and Angela Lansbury: the three universally acknowledged truths that make up a great mystery story. Hell in a Handbag's production of Murder, ReWrote: The Musical Parody at the Den Theatre is the perfect cross-section of drag show and musical. Expect to laugh, cackle, restrain yourself from singing along, and make an immediate tribute to the incomparable Angela Lansbury as you’re reminded of what an icon graced our screens and stages for the better part of a century.

Musical theatre references and camp abound alongside the talented singing and comedic performances. Whether or not you’re a fan of Murder, She Wrote the television show, you’re bound to be entertained outside of all context at Murder, ReWrote: The Musical Parody.

(Left to right) Britain Gebhardt, Grant Drager, David Cerda and Caroline Kidwell in Hell in a Handbag Productions’ world premiere of Murder, ReWrote. Photo by Rick Aguilar Studios.

In The Den Theatre’s Murder, ReWrote, our favorite comedically reimagined mystery novelist Bessica Feltcher (Jessica Fletcher, in the real ‘80s/'90s TV show) has a harrowing case on her hands: that of a rich hieresses's daughter found dead in the living room of the family mansion.

Who could have done it? Her mother? The maid? Bessica’s hapless nephew Grady? It’s like watching a game of Clue play out in real time, only way funnier.

Britain Gebhardt channels Lansbury in voice, looks, and persona as acclaimed mystery author and amateur detective Bessica Jeatrice Feltcher, aka BJ. The hobbyist slueth finds herself at the center of a whodunit murder mystery leaving everyone wondering, “Who killed Christina??”

The rest of the cast is hilarious and committed to their roles as well, from Grant Drager as Bessica’s goofy nephew Grady to David Cerda's haughty, RuPaul-esque portrayal of heiress June Crayfish.

(Left to right) Mark Bartishell, Caroline Kidwell, Britain Gebhardt, Daniel Hurstand, Cathy Reyes McNamara in Hell in a Handbag Productions’ world premiere of Murder, ReWrote. Photo by Rick Aguilar Studios.

Hell in a Handbag Productions goes all out in this production, from the creative and unexpected ways they adapt a television series to the stage, the thoughtful references to Lansbury’s other work sprinkled throughout, and the loving insults they lob at the corniness of the original TV show.

The music and lyrics by George Howe and Ed Rutherford, along with the direction from Anthony Whitaker, make this musical parody a sparkling one. You can feel the love and attention to detail that went into every joke, reference, and visual gag, showing that this creative team genuinely loves its source material. You can only make fun of something lovingly – and cleverly – if you admire it and respect its merit in the first place.

Murder, ReWrote: The Musical Parody is playing at the Den Theatre through September 16, 2023. Tickets can be bought at the box office at 1331 N Milwaukee Ave or on their website.

*Extended through September 18th

There’s something about a good mystery that keeps us engrossed. Maybe it’s the colorful suspects, maybe it’s the dissecting of clues involved, maybe it’s our own morbid curiosity that comes with murder - after all isn’t Forensic Files still one of the most watched TV shows? We like the detective work, plain and simple – the search for motive and opportunity and the gathering of evidence. And we certainly like the thought that everyone in the room is a suspect, no matter how unlikely they might seem. There’s a reason that Shear Madness has been running for forty years and is now one of the longest running non-musical plays ever (the whodunnit The Mousetrap leads all stage productions with the longest ever run). Well, amateur detectives, get ready because there’s been another murder in Chicago and your help is needed to solve the case. Once a mainstay in Chicago from 1982 through 1999, Shear Madness has returned, this time making its temporary home at Mercury Theater.

Taking place inside Shear Madness, a Chicago salon, life seems normal for the most part until the landlady upstairs is brutally murdered – stabbed repeatedly with a pair of – guess what - shears. But fortunately, Detective Nick Rossetti (Joe Popp) has been working undercover and is on the scene and through a bit of interrogation and deducing we find that everyone has a motive. Suspicion runs rampant as accusations fly everywhere and it soon becomes clear – the audience will need to help in bringing the killer to justice.    

Like in any engaging whodunnit, Shear Madness gives us a handful of intriguing characters and though the play starts off a bit sluggish to the point where one asks themselves where the story could possibly be going, the excitement quickly accelerates once the murder occurs and its direction is no longer in question. After a few scenarios are tossed around onstage, Detective Rossetti asks the audience to participate as the cast reenacts everything that had happened prior to the murder with as much detail as possible. If something is amiss or does not match what had actually happened, theater goers are invited to call out the discrepancy to help the detective put the pieces together. We are then encouraged to toss out any theories we might have to Detective Rossetti during the intermission where he makes himself readily available, at the same time we prepare questions to ask the play’s characters once the second act begins. Yes, we get to interrogate the suspects.

Best put, Shear Madness is just plain old fun. It’s a hilarious show that gives us a chance to crime solve along with the detective, some of its funniest moments the participation between audience and cast. Also entertaining are the many references to Chicago and several jokes that have been updated to include todays politics and pop culture. Sure, some of the humor is dated. The show was created in 1980. But it works – and works well. Thanks to Warner Crocker’s well-piloted direction and a superb cast that works well together and can also seamlessly interact with the audience on the fly, we see that funny is funny no matter when it was written so long as it’s delivered well. And no one was off limits. Touching on famous personalities from Taylor Swift to Bill Clinton to Joe Biden to Rod Blagojevich to dot, dot, dot, the play certainly takes its share of swipes. And while some of its jokes might be geared to ruffle a few feathers, the audience clearly takes them as just that – jokes. Even in its more contrived moments where predictable humor is used, a laugh is usually found. In the end it’s a silly comedy, not a show to be taken seriously, and lord knows we could all use a laugh or two.

The show does get a boost from audience involvement and even some good-natured heckling, but it naturally relies heavily on its cast. Ed Kross is a sheer delight to watch as Tony Whitcomb, the flamboyant salon owner, both his well-timed innuendos and physical comedy garnering one laugh after another. Mary Robin Roth as Mrs. Schubert also has many scene stealing moments as does David Sajewich as “used antique dealer” Eddie Lawrence while Brittany D Parker’s Barbara DeMarco hits the mark, as well. Detective Rossetti’s partner Mikey Thomas is played well by Sam Woods to round out an overall solid cast. Joe Popp as Detective Nick Rossetti is perhaps the most noteworthy of the bunch, as his character is kind of the glue that holds everything together in this production. As theater goers bounce one question or theory off the detective (sometimes with spot on observations and often quite absurd), Popp impresses repeatedly never wavering from his character and never absent of a quick, often humorous, response.

Shear Madness is also a play that can be enjoyed more than once. The story has four possible outcomes based on how the audience votes, and even if one gets the same outcome twice, you can be sure the audience participation will differ each and every time.

A unique theatre experience that has the audience laughing as much as it has them guessing, Shear Madness breaks down the fourth wall and delivers two one-of-a-kind fun-filled hours.

Shear Madness is being performed at Mercury Theater through March 29^th. For tickets and/or more information visit www.MercuryTheaterChicago.com.           

What better props and scenery than that in one’s own imagination? And what better way to give each audience member their own unique experience than to let each follow their own journey guided only by storytelling without any visuals to distract, detract or force its own interpretation of what we are supposed to see?  Theatre in the Dark masterfully succeeds in bringing to life a story that is sure to be different for each end everyone in attendance. ‘Three Stories Up’ is the theatre production’s company latest undertaking – a noir mystery/thriller that takes places in complete darkness.

Taking place at The Church on Thorndale (1244 W. Thorndale), theatre goers are put into different groups consisting of just a handful of people each. We are then led through the main congregation area of the Church, through a hallway and into a small, but comfortable, sized room. At that point, all attendees are blindfolded and led in a single file line - holding onto the shoulder of the person in front of us for guidance - into another room where we are seated. Before taking off the blindfolds, we are given instructions and cautionary directions on what to do should claustrophobia take effect – so, worry not, every precaution is taken and by the time the play begins, we are at ease and ready to immerse ourselves into a suspense mystery. 

We are then directed to remove the blindfolds – and it is pitch black. After waiting for my eyes to adjust just ever so slightly to see the most minimal amount of light, I realize minutes later, nope, this is truly the absence of light in its greatest sense. A hand inches from one’s face may have well been twenty feet away. And though the actors move about, and are sometimes seemingly inches away from seated guests, they make a point to not touch anyone. 

 
Chicago playwright Mackenzie Gordon gives us a gripping 80-minute drama done in the style of radio mysteries done in the 1930s and 1940s. As the story progresses, we hear characters move from one location to another. Director Cory Bradberry does a wonderful job of delivering this engaging story that revolves a Canadian transit cop, Beatrice Dulaurier, who finds her husband dead upon coming home, as each scene is painted so beautifully that vivid images effortlessly appear in our heads throughout.

As a crime drama that has all the elements of a noir thriller, ‘Three Stories Up’ is filled with colorful personalities including the hardboiled detective, the ambitious (and suspicious) journalist and a host of quirky characters. Unsure of how many cast members were handling the voices of the story’s characters during the performance, I was surprised when it turned out to be just two actors handling all the roles – Bethany Arrington (Beatrice Dulaurier, others) and Mackenzie Gordon (Gunner Bjornsen, others). Both were nothing short of outstanding. And kudos to Corey Bradford who really enhanced the overall experience with strategic foley and sound design.

‘Three Stories Up’ is a thriller that keeps its audience guessing, but the originality behind the production – and its precise execution - makes it a must see as one of Chicago’s more creative theatre adventures.

‘Three Stories Up’ is being performed at The Church on Thorndale through November 9th.

For tickets and/or more show information, visit www.theareinthedark.com.   

 

What’s the big deal about Sherlock Holmes? What is it that makes Sir Arthur Conan Doyle work some of the most well-known mysteries of all time? Sherlock Holmes and his adventures were published over a century ago, yet Doyle's writing has continuously surfaced through time on film, television, and theater. Could it be that Sherlock Holmes is simply a magnetic character that draws you in with his attention to detail, bravery, intellect, and supreme confidence? Or is it Doyle’s swift pen and ability to craft a memorable mystery? Terry McCabe’s adaption of The Hound of Baskervilles at City Lit Theater showcases Doyle’s writing at its finest.

Sir James Mortimer requests the service of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson after his friend Sir Charles Baskerville dies suddenly from a heart attack. The expression on his face was one of horror. He goes to tell the infamous tale of the hound that haunts the men of Baskervilles and reveals that he discovered paw prints near the scene of the crime. Sherlock finds the tale of the hound ridiculous, but the details of the case interest him enough to investigate. Baskerville’s heir, Henry Baskerville, arrives from America to claim his inheritance with an anonymous note warning him to stay away for Baskerville’s Hall. Out of fear for Henry’s life, Holmes task Dr. Watson to accompany Henry and Mortimer to the Baskerville’s Hall, an isolated mansion surrounded by miles of wild moor. There Dr. Watson encounters shady characters, sounds of horror at night, and an escaped prisoner hiding among the moor. Holmes and Watson uncover it all and in the end discover that the truth was more terrifying than what they’d imagined.

James Sparling (Sherlock Holmes) appears on the stage as an almost spitting image of the great detective. He steps on and off the stage and snatches the audience’s attention with his movement and spot-on delivery. Adam Bitterman (Dr. Watson) reprises the role for the third time at City Lit theater. Bitterman’s talent and experience with the character may very well be the reason why he takes such a vigor command of the role. In this adaption, Bitterman is tasked to narrate and drive the play and does it without skipping a beat.

At a theater that was founded in 1979, City Lit continues to host gripping productions, but the small stage inevitably fails its material. The Hound of Baskerville is a story involving chase, a dark, foggy moor, an isolated mansion, and a vicious hound. These are elements that are left up to the imagination of the audience. Though this doesn’t ruin the production it gives moments of disappointment that makes you yearn to see a hound that’s asleep somewhere far away.

Bitterman’s performance allows the audience to understand why Doyle never wrote a mystery from Sherlock’s perspective. To watch Sherlock as Watson does and anticipate his arrival, wait anxiously for his conclusions, intertwines with the excitement of the mystery. Dr. Watson has never been as alluring as his counterpart, but he also never lost his ability to remain the most relatable character in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s world.

Through November 10, 2019 at City Lit Theater.

When it comes to an engaging mystery thriller, the need for finely-written, well-executed twists, turns and the unexpected are imperative. Afterall, a good suspense story on stage that has the ability to genuinely captivate its audience members can be one of the most enjoyable theatrical experiences we can have. In Drury Lane’s current production Deathtrap, we get just that. Deathtrap, written by Ira Levin in 1978 and later becoming a film starring Michael Caine and Christopher Reeve, is a whodunnit that pulls you in keeps you guessing so that just when you think you’ve figured it out, another curveball is thrown.

Upon entering the theatre, we are met with the interior of a Victorian house with a rustic interior. Swords, poster tins of plays and antiques such as Houdini’s handcuffs and collectible pistols decorate the walls and shelves. When looking closely, it appears the way the rafters are cut suggest we could be looking into a massive trap. 

It all starts when a theatre professor, a former flourishing playwright, Sidney Bruhl, takes notice of a play written by one of his students, Cliff Anderson. It’s brilliant - a sure fire hit. It’s been a looooong time since Bruhl has had a successful play and there is no reason to think he is on the brink of anything else that could make waves in the theatre world. When Bruhl promptly invites Anderson - along with his single transcript - to his country home where he lives alone with his wife, Myra, the suspense begins and only thickens as we wonder if Sydney is capable of murdering for a hit show. The well-written dialogue keeps one on edge, moving back and forth from friendly banter to that of a suspicious nature. Adding to the intrigue are Myra’s suspicions and the interactions of Helga, the Bruhl’s neighbor who possesses psychic abilities. 

Daniel Cantor as Sydney Bruhl and Aaron Latterall as Cliff Anderson are brilliant together as they lock horns in their highly engaging cat and mouse exchanges, each performing magnificently while McKinley Carter as Myra offers strong support and is able to cement the growing tension to enhance the audience’s intrigue even further. Though plenty of witty dialogue between players to incite a good share of laughs, Cindy Gold as Helga den Dorp is absolutely hysterical as the psychic neighbor, causing quite a stir with her “visions” that often includes exaggerated body language and heavy moaning. 

We are constantly asked the question on what we would actually do to gain success, no matter what has shown up in our past nature or not, should the opportune moment take place. Should the temptation be great enough, should we know we would get away with, let’s say a crime of significance, we generally rely on the thing deep inside ourselves that would not allow us to go to such extreme measures - to take such action - most people anyway. But what happens when one’s morale compass fails us them - is absent? What is one’s breaking point?

Deathtrap is a nearly perfect psychological thriller. Add that to the fact that this particular production boasts exceptional acting performances, a detailed set that draws one in before the show even begins and a healthy diet of humor, and it would be impossible not to recommend this fantastic play.

Wonderfully directed by William Osetek Deathtrap is being performed at Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook through August 14th. For tickets and/or show information, visit www.drurylanetheatre.com.