Chelsea Players presented the comic murder mystery The Green Room, written by Chelsea Players member Emily Dykes November 4, 11, & 12 at 8 pm, and November 6 at 3 pm, at United Congregational Church Hall.
The plot takes place backstage in the green room, as the actors wait for the curtain to go up on a Sherlock Holmes play. Much to the horror of the cast, one of the actors is found to be dead. Fortunately, the dead actor in the cast plays the role of a dead actor in the show, so, in spite of knowing that there might be a murderer among them, the cast decides that the play must go on! In the tradition of Agatha Christie, everyone has a motive to have killed Chuck. Filled with puns, hilarious one-liners, and physical comedy, the play promises to be an evening of fun.
Emily Dykes, a veteran of many theatrical roles, has spent countless hours in green rooms waiting to go on stage. The layers of relationships that inevitably exist among cast members provided inspiration for the murder mystery. She feels that there is a “bizarre dichotomy that exists between an actor’s personality backstage and their onstage persona.” She adds that the play also springs from her love for Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie. “It’s mash-up of sorts between their two approaches to crime writing: Holmes’ relentless deduction at the expense of the feelings and security of others, and Christie’s impossible web of relationships and motives.”
Don Dykes, father of the playwright, has graciously accepted the role of the corpse who must be hauled all over the stage. August Wolf, having directed “Talking With,” a series of women’s monologues, last spring, was looking for a light play with a large cast and was thrilled when offered Ms. Dykes’ script.
Cast members include Richard Weingart, Andrew Kirby, Sean Flaherty, Erika Webb, Nicole Wilcox, Jane Desrosiers, Laurie Gwin, Geoff Montgomery, and Don Dykes.
Tickets are $10 advance reservation and $12 at the door. All senior tickets are $10. For further information go to chelseaplayers.org or visit Chelsea Players on Facebook. To order tickets, email klamothe37@gmail.com or call 860-887-7289. Please note that the November 6 performance is a matinee.
For further information, visit Chelsea Players on FaceBook.
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