Brunswick I
BY SUSAN USHER
Over the years the Brunswick
flayers have gained a reputation for
making the most of limited
resources. With their current production
of "Rehearsal for Murder," the
Players do it again, combining new
talent and a new location to provide '<
an entertaining evening with their
friends.
Audiences of an estimated 75 to 80 '
people each attended the first two
shows last Friday and Saturday
nights. Addition performances are
Cphorlnlnrl r-A 9 **
uvtivuui^u i' i iua/ emu oaiuiuay, inov.
18 and 19, at 8 p.m. in the old gym on I
the Brunswick College College cam- '
pus, 8th & Lord Sts., Southport, a
facility the Players would like to
make their home.
An adaptation by D.D. Brooke of '
the teleplay by Richard Levinson and 1
William Link, "Rehearsal for i
Murder" takes the form of a clever '
"play within a play" with an unexpected
ending. Audience members j
are kept in suspense?and in the <
dark, literally and figuratively, '
throughout much of the two-hour 1
show. 1
The play opens in a darkened 1
theater on the anniversary of the '
death of Monica Welles. Welles was a '
well-known screen actress trying to
launch a Broadway career at the 1
time of her apparent suicide, which 1
followed a cast party on the opening '
night of "Chamber Music." In an at
tempt to reveal the truth about his '
fiancee's death, which he believes i
was murder, playwright Alex Den- *
nison has reassembled those <
associated with the play for the first '
"reading" of a purported new work, *
"Killing Jessica." Along with scripts
he has packed a handgun in his brief- <
case. J
Before the reading begins, a
lengthy flashback takes the audience ^
and Dennison's new secretary to the '
time of the murder, introducing the 3
victim and the remainder of the cast,
all of whom appear to be suspects I
with motives. c
While building tension and laying
the groundwork for what is to follow,
the first act moves slowly. This was
partly because of the very narrowapron
of the stage, where much of the
action took place. Because of the
tight space and blinding glare of the
spotlights, at times players hugged
the draperies Saturday as they edged i
on and off the apron. ]
However, the Players make good i
use of a second, lower makeshift i
stage built below the apron. 1
Only for scenes relating directly to
41 ?! 1. _l> WH ? ?
me nigni ot weues' aeatn are a more [
elaborate set and lighting used. This <
set consists of a shimmery curtain {
and furniture and other props sug- i
gestive of a study opening off the
star's bedroom and balcony. i
Director Stuart Callari and her I
assistant, Jane Astoske, draw ser- c
viceable, if not remarkable, perfor- t
mances from leads Warren "Tex"
Dorman and Jean Hrdlieka, both of t
whom make their acting debuts in f
the show. Both Yaupon Beach c
residents show lots of promise for e
future Players roles. 1
Dorman especially warrants 1
LUwjc
Zack ? ;
106.
4?i_ _i i a
g vveeKaays p
A REVIEW
3layers i
praise for his almost deadeningly
calm portrayal of the intense
screenwriter-turned-detective. As
Dennison he has lines in every scene
and delivers a difficult and lengthy
near-monologue in the first act.
While Dorman fluffed several lines
Saturday, the damage was light and
the action continued with little interruption.
His understated interpretation
of the character worked well, insinuating
rather than shouting the
screenwriter's cunning and compulsion.
However, in the occasional
scene that demands more overt
power, he delivers, as in the closing
moments of the first act, when he
"confronts" the cast.
As a newcomer to the stage
Hrdlicka handled well the role of
Monica Welles, an apparently complex
character who is part wide-eyed
ingenue, part career-wise
sophisticate.
Both Dorman and Hrdlicka projected
their voices well and enunciated
clearly. However, at least
irom one viewer's perspective, a
iuskier voice, greater emotional
ange and more stage presence
vould have been assets for the
emale lead, who is after all, we're
old, a "star," albeit of the screen.
Delivering especially solid perfornances
in their character roles are
/eteran performers Joy Boyette as
he colorful producer, Bella Lamb,
uid Bob Maker as Lloyd Andrews,
he director. While Lamb's figure
vas almost a caricature, until after
ntermission her lines didn't begin
Irawing the laughs they deserved
iom the quiet, but appreciative
>aiuraay night house.
Filling out the cast ably were Ken
Campbell as the arrogant but insecure
David Matthews, an actor;
Sdie Shupe as Karen Daniels,
iVelles' understudy; and newcomer
rony Harris as the all-too-eager
roung actor Leo Gibbs.
Bekkie Bean makes the most of her
>art as Loretta, the stage manager,
ind Bob Pennock doesn't waste his
State Transport
To Review 8-Ye
The N.C. Board of Transportation
is scheduled to review a draft of the
1989-1996 Transportation Improvenent
Program ('IIP) at a committee
ueeting today (Thursday) in
Raleigh.
The TIP is the department's basic
ilanning document that sets highway
:ontruction priorities statewide. It is
xpeeted to be adopted by the board
it its Dec. 9 meeting.
The draft will be reviewed this
ifternoon by the board's Finance and
Programming Committee, following
ither committee meetings which
legin at 9 a.m.
A 1 At-- T-? * -t i ? " " * " "
ftisu, uit mgni 01 way Committee
his afternoon will hold its second
mblic meeting on a proposal to reluire
setbacks for new billboards
irected on the state's primary
lighways. Last month the committee
leld the first meeting on the re
ionday - Frit
i
f Off A g
few lines as the moving man, Mr.
Santoro. South Brunswick High
School senior Briton Campbell was a
perky Sally Bean, secretary to the
playwright.
Bob Poulk and John Bean come
across well in their surprise roles as
the "man" and "second man" in the
auditorium, and perhaps will be seen
in larger roles in future productions.
Overall the Players pull an unusual
amount of quality talent from the
community for "Rehearsal for
Murder." The only obvious disap
pointments in casting were minor.
While neither Jim Bullock nor Misty
Harrison played convincing police officers,
both newcomers deserve
credit for getting involved in the
community production. Bullock auditioned
on a dare from a friend, while
Harrison is a South Brunswick High
School senior who belonged to a
junior high drama club in Durham.
Though always dependable,
Players regular Patrick Connaughton
was weak as Ernie, the
stage doorman, and at times his lines
were impossible to understand.
While the Players, like most community
theater groups, need to keep
striving for consistency, in "Rehearsal
for Murder" they've put together
an evening that won't disappoint
their audience. ?
It's a long way from Broadway, but
that shouldn't matter. A Players production
is a time for residents across
the county to come together for an
evening of fun, and on a less obvious
level, to reaffirm the importance of
cuiiuuuiuiy. as uennison tells his
players early on, "Reunions are good
for the soul."
Support local theater while
scheduling your own reunion. Tickets
for "Rehearsal for Murder" are $5
and can be purchased in advance at
First Step Computer Systems in
Shallotte or Sears in Southport, or at
the door. Season tickets for 1988-89
are also available for $25 each;
Players memberships are also
available.
ation Board
*ar Road Plan
quirements.
The board's regular monthly
meeting will be held Friday at 9 a.m.
in Room 150 of the highway building
in Raleigh.
Contracts to improve more than
365 miles of primary and secondary
highways among $17.5 million in
highway projects to be considered by
the board.
The contracts are for work in
Durham, Granville, Person,
Franklin, Vance, Warren, Wake,
Bladen, Columbus, Sampson, Anson,
Alleghany, Avery, Moore, Davidson,
Forsvth. I.inrnln Rnuion
Cumberland, Harnett and Robeson
counties.
f
Board member Tommy Pollard of
Jacksonville represents southeastern
North Carolina, including Brunswick
County.
\
top Man
?jnujjJUr
day^6^9^AM
r*l I n
L>
The American Institute of Archite
presented its annual church design
the firm's design of the Village Cha
the only one presented for a projc
program covers buildings designs
years.
Timothy P.
Adult
Board Cert
Over 5 yea
2 years in Br
Office Hours
Bv Appointment
754-8921
^ After
Mj WORTHMO
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1998 THE BRUNSWICK BEACON
Get On 1
Nith Lee S
and
John Ze
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THE BRUNSWICK BEACON, Thun
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
>esign Cited
clure's Austin, Texas, chapter recently
award to Clovis Heimsath Architects for
pel on Bald Head Island. The award was
ct outside Texas. The chapter's awards
id and contracted over the past three
Gibblc, M.D. 1
Medicine
ified Internist
rs in practice,
unswick County
1
Doctors' Complex tt\
Brunswick Hospital
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1 " ' 1 ' ' ;
if ion: Hp;':
RE HOMES p
WING! I I
g to serve our 1 j
tter, north on I
nit 1/2 mile, J 1
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advantage of \
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ft to move!
RE HOMES i ; I
SHALLOTTE \ ' I
WEEK - 754 7676 I
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1
;day, November 17, 1988?Page 5-H
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