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Washington Evening Journal
111 North Marion Avenue
Washington, IA 52353
319-653-2191
‘DEADLINE’ Met!!
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
The cast and crew did a fabulous job preparing and presenting the mystery comedy, “Deadline.” The set was well done and meticulously painted. Many weekends and extra hours were spent getting all the necessary preparations done. Sound, lighting and staging efforts began almost as soon as school started last August. The talented Masqued Tigers also engaged in teaching new members the many responsibilities involved in a successful stage production.
A most unlikely group of would-be Agatha Christies met in a secluded mansion. The idea was that one of them would create a mystery, solve it and write it. The reward — to be published or possibly win 1 million dollars.
Amazingly, only one of the assembled authors was murdered. As each character’s personality and accomplishments were revealed, it was clear that most were a candidate for an unscheduled demise. The main room of the mansion was filled with many weapons and readily at hand. One easily recalled the days when “Clue” was popular and wondered when the candlestick in the library would be used.
The twins, Lilly and Milly, were played by Sydney Kracht. Of course, the twins never appear on stage together but yell back and forth at one another. Both abhorred work and service and received many a laugh with their excuses. Their costume changes were of great interest.
Deborah (Sophia May) and Gregory (Trayton Schuster) Haskins were the married couple. Their relationship was troubled. Deborah was particularly outspoken in her distain of Gregory. Many in the audience perhaps had their fingers crossed that she would be the next victim and the authors would be trying to find a serial killer. That did not happen although Gregory did become injured and disoriented.
Carswell Chalmers (Riley Mershman) quickly became a controversial figure. Did one love him because he was so direct and forthright about his opinions or hate him as an original male chauvinist?
Penelope Bain (Khloe Upton) saved the entire group by naming the killer before the deadline. The butler didn’t do it! It was hard to tell how many in the audience had figured out the killer or the real intent of the gathering before she enlightened everyone.
Two more fun and intriguing mystery writers entertained the audience. Jennifer Milam (Abagail Denney) reminded us of Cabot Cove and Murder She Wrote. One wonders if the town will run out of citizens to murder. Vampetta (Paige Miller) wore the costume of the evening. The characters in her unpublished books had to be out of this world.
One cannot leave without mentioning Zak (Kyler Dettmers). A student just learning the trade appears without his professorial mentor and becomes the victim. Surely if he had lived he would have been an author of note.
Since the New London Journal will not have great circulation revealing the end is acceptable, hopefully. The unexpected twist at the end was each author who had tried to name the killer and was wrong was slapped in the face with a sticker. This sticker was poisoned. An antidote was administered to these potential victims as the deadline passed. Did anyone predict that the original intent of the gathering was a mass murder of mystery writers?
Director, Tori Kenel, and Production Manager, Lauren Jones have again taught, cajoled, encouraged and tugged the best out of every cast and crew member. The result — another memorable stage experience for the New London Community.
