Lennox High School drama department to present murder mystery comedy
The Lennox High School drama department will take the stage Nov. 20-21 with its production of “The Crimson House Murder,” a fast-paced comedy filled with suspicious characters, unexpected twists and plenty of theatrical chaos.
Performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. both evenings at Lennox High School. Admission is general seating, and tickets are not required. A freewill donation will be accepted at the door.
According to drama director Christi Sayler, finding a play with a large enough cast is always a challenge when selecting a non-musical production. She began by searching for scripts written for casts of 20 or more before narrowing down the choices.
“I narrowed it down to a handful that I liked the synopsis before ordering them, reading them, and ultimately deciding on this one,” Sayler said. “It has a lot of fun lines with nods to all the classic murder mystery greats like Agatha Christie, CLUE, and even a bit of Scooby-Doo.”
The story begins when a mysterious murder takes place at the rundown Crimson House Hotel. An unusual collection of eccentric guests suddenly find themselves caught up in a puzzling whodunit.
Enter Hercules Porridge Jr., an inept but entertaining detective from Hoboken, who is determined to solve the mystery. As suspicious characters, strange behavior and unexpected twists unfold, everyone seems to have something to hide. Secrets emerge, comic mishaps ensue, and the audience is left wondering whether Detective Porridge can crack the case before another crime occurs.
Sayler’s vision for the production is to create an entertaining, fast-paced theatrical experience that embraces the humor, mystery and eccentric personalities of the characters.
“I want the audience to feel as though they have stepped into a classic old-fashioned detective story, complete with suspicious characters, unexpected surprises, dramatic moments, and plenty of comedic chaos,” she said.
Character development has been an important part of the preparation, with each student working to give their character a distinct personality, unique mannerisms and an exaggerated sense of individuality.
The students have spent time both at home and during rehearsals memorizing lines and developing their roles. Sayler said the rehearsal process has been relatively calm compared to last year’s musical, allowing students more time to balance the production with other fall activities.
With many fall activities now wrapping up, rehearsals have become more focused on adding the small details and nuances that will bring the show together.
One of the challenges has been teaching students to stay in character, particularly when the audience begins laughing.
“When you rehearse every day, the lines start to be less funny to you, but when you add an audience who will laugh at everything, it will be hard to keep a straight face on stage,” Sayler said. “Teaching them to be prepared for laughs is hard.”
The production will also feature some fun technical elements, including lightning, thunder, storm-light flickers and power outages. The set, which includes a large number of doors, has also presented its own challenges as students work to navigate the busy hotel setting.
One scene in Act 2 is especially chaotic, with every character briefly appearing on stage at the same time.
“It was very hard to time and keep moving,” Sayler said. “We have rehearsed it so many times to make it flow smoothly yet still appear to be utter chaos.”
The Nov. 21 performance time could be adjusted depending on how the Lennox High School volleyball team fares in the playoffs. Community members are encouraged to check the school website for any schedule updates before attending. Seating is general admission with no tickets required. A free will donation will be accepted at the door.
The cast of “The Crimson House Murder” includes:
• Maddigan Van Sickle as Rebecca Fitzwilliam
• Madix Oltmanns as Jeeves
• Lily Kezar as Shirley
• Ariana Poppens as Fay Strange
• Ella Ellwein as Anguish Crispie
• Leo Aesoph as Mark Palegrave
• Sophie Sanchez as Penny Russell
• Izzy Gerdes as Delivery Person
• Isaiah Sayler as Hercules Porridge
• Evan Atkins as Leon Russell
• Kaydence Gerry as Bridget Moriarty
• Duncan Johnson as Detective Bobby
• Lucy Sanchez as Officer Mulligan
• Isaak Booker as Colonel Chutney
• Sophie Wood as Nurse Payne
• James Hermanson, Darek Krohn, Olivia Johnson, Whitney Schmidt, Gracie Wood, Natalie Aesoph, Addalyn Meier, Allison Schulz, Lucy Carlson and Karissa Iken as Students
Andie Brende will serve as female understudy and stage manager, while Lincoln Allie will serve as male understudy.
The crew includes Stella Meyer, Harper Lee and Adaleigh Wesselink.
The technical crew includes Jacob Carlson, Chase Hazuka and Lincoln Allie.