By Rhea-Frances Tetley
Staff Writer
It’s October – the trees are changing from green to colors of reds, golds and flaming yellows, giving a fall feel to the forest. The days are getting shorter and Halloween images are everywhere. It’s that time of the year when the Heisler Theater Company presents a new evening of entertainment. On Oct. 30 and 31, it is not your typical Halloween play, but a mystery with a twist that keeps the audience engaged, while laughing all evening long as well.
Come witness a mystery-filled comedy full of suspense, as the audience discovers the family secrets as they unfold. They will wonder who are victims and who are the suspects in this murder mystery, and yet the evening is guaranteed to be filled with plenty of laughs.
As the audience arrives, a will is about to be read of long-departed Cyrus West; the question in the air is who will become rich and who will be disappointed – or dead? This story is over 100 years old; it has been made into movies four times and performed on stage tens of thousands of times, so this year enjoy this classic that you’ve probably never seen.
Come to the old haunted mansion, at the Tudor House in Arrowhead Villas – there is a fortune at stake with the reading of this will from the ultra-rich, “dearly beloved” departed relative. You, as a member of the audience, are invited along with the rest of the family to enjoy the characters who make up the West family, the secrets revealed and the personalities of those who are gathered for dinner and the reading of the will, the next morning.
The play is The Cat and the Canary. The first question is, who is The Canary? We soon become aware that The Cat is an escaped lunatic, but where is he or she and why are they in the vicinity? Are all or none of the family members suspects and what are they accused of or guilty of doing? Are they also the murderer of the beloved departed relative, or is The Cat just of trying to inherit it all?
In The Cat and the Canary, nothing is quite what it seems, and you may find yourself laughing one moment and looking over your shoulder the next.
Being performed at the Tudor House on Oct. 30 and 31, The Cat and the Canary will be an evening you will remember for a long time, as an enjoyable way to spend your Halloween evening. You will even question whether the mansion is in fact haunted or was it just set up for the family’s arrival.
It has been 20 years since Cyrus West died. Why has it taken so long for his family to gather together hear his final will? Another question looming large is who all of these people are. And are they all actually relatives to each other?
The cast is made up of local actors and actresses but you will need to figure out which cast member is a good guy or a mysterious person. Very little is as obvious as it seems.
Before the evening is over, an inheritance will be claimed, a killer will strike and everyone will wonder who or what is stalking those who came. The family members just need to make it through the entire night to claim the inheritance.
Performing are Becky Ikenberry, Brian Follis, Gaye Gamble Heisler, Ryan Moore, Michael Patrick Brewer, Cassandra Pate, Matthew David, Ken Williams and Meghan McCann.
This is the year to make it a Halloween night out with dinner, drinks, mystery, comedy and a wonderfully spooky evening of live theater. The doors for The Cat and the Canary open for dinner at 5:30 p.m. and the show begins at 7 p.m. The Tudor House is located at 800 Arrowhead Villa Road. Tickets are $20 for adults with seniors and teens at $15 at www.heislertheater.com.
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