By LOIS KINDLE
lekindle@aol.com
Marsha Gilmore is a cheerful housewife, hopelessly addicted to mystery novels. Her imagination runs wild when she overhears her husband planning a surprise for her upcoming birthday, and she misinterprets the conversation as a plot to bump her off. Convinced she’s in mortal danger, she concocts a frantic scheme to “save” herself, dragging friends, family and unsuspecting visitors into a spiraling chain of comic misunderstandings.
The plot becomes increasingly hilarious as the play continues, with all kinds of mix-ups, nutty characters and a cat-and-mouse scramble between two groups with wildly different motives.
“Let’s Murder Marsha is a fast, playful farce built on secrets, chaos and big laughs,” said director Kevin Steinke. “It’s joyful, silly and filled with havoc, sure to have the audience laughing from start to finish. The cast is having a blast bringing the chaos to life.”
Speaking of the cast, it includes Donna Fiore in the role of Marsha Gilmore; Dawna Gantvoort as Bianca, the manipulative maid; Bob Horvath as Tobias Gilmore, Marsha’s loving husband and a Wall Street banker; Julie Ramsey as Persis Devore, the interior decorator hired by Tobias to plan the birthday surprise; James Williams as Virgil Baxter, Marsha’s admiring neighbor and friend; Jeanne Naish as Martha’s mother, Lynette, who arrives a day early for her daughter's birthday and complicates matters; and Peter Geller as Ben Quade, the local police officer. Gwen Brown is the show’s assistant director, and Michele Horvath its stage manager.
Let’s Murder Marsha is open to the public and will be presented in the Kings Point Veterans Theater, 1900 Clubhouse Drive, Sun City Center.
Show dates are Friday, July 24, at 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, July 25, at 1:30 and 6:30 p.m.; and Sunday, July 26, at 1:30 p.m. Doors open 30 minutes before curtain.
Tickets for reserved, cabaret-style seating or open bleacher seating are on sale at the Kings Point Box Office, 1900 Clubhouse Lane, Sun City Center, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Evening performances are $18; and matinees are $15. They will also be sold at the door before each show for cash only. Correct change is appreciated.
BYO drinks and snacks.
About the Pelican Players
Founded in 1981, the King-Point-based Pelican Players Community Theater is an all-volunteer 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization. Its mission is to promote the dramatic arts through the staging of productions and educational activities throughout the greater Sun City Center community. All profits go toward the Pelican Players Scholarship Fund, administered by Community Foundation Tampa Bay, to benefit local students pursuing the arts.