THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 16, 1995 TAG: 9511160746
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: AHOSKIE LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines
CAN WE TRUST Elsa von Grossenkneuter?
The inclination is to say ``nein,'' considering that visitors to her sumptuous home are dropping regularly.
Is she seeking revenge?
Elsa's friend was murdered a while back, and some of the same people were around at the time.
The people are actors visiting the elderly lady in hopes of getting some backing for their show.
She has them all together again to observe them and catch the murderer, said Darin Mize, who is directing the actors portraying actors in the Gallery Theatre production of ``The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940.''
What in the world is it?
A spoof, Mize says, that makes fun of old-stage murder mysteries like ``The Mousetrap.''
This opener for the Gallery's 30th season is one of those plays with simple but demanding requirements for the cast of 10: Get your lines straight, and move swiftly.
Three members are stage rookies, two are last-minute replacements - including Darryl Futrell, who started the season as assistant manager and wound up with a star role.
The 28-year-old performer, who never acted before, is hooked. So is newcomer Tony Babb, 37.
``I came with my sister-in-law to watch her audition,'' he said. ``They said, `As long as you're here, read.' Now, I love it.''
Newcomer No. 3 is Mike Harrison, 26, an East Carolina University graduate with a master's in counselor education, a bachelor of science degree in communication and a desire to be a counselor on the college/university level.
``The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940'' began as an off-Broadway offering and was so successful, it moved up a few blocks to Broadway. The word ``musical'' is a bit misleading. ``A song is in the script,'' Mize said, ``but there was no music.''
Not to worry. Musician Karen Knowles, an active Gallery worker, wrote music for the song, ``Everyone Can Do It Better.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by FRANK ROBERTS
Tony Babb, left, and Phil Glick star in Gallery Theatre's production
of "The Musical Comedy Murders of 1950."
AT A GLANCE
[For a copy of the graphic, see microfilm for this date.]
by CNB