Actress Beverley J. Taylor returns to the Ivoryton Playhouse for a loving critique of a comic murder mystery with Connecticut ties.
After working for the Ivoryton Playhouse for 15 years, Taylor is delighted to return “simply as an actress” to play the much-maligned theatre critic Daria Chase. She looks back fondly on her time with the Playhouse, however, working in many roles and acting in several as well.
Asked to describe The Game’s Afoot, actress Beverley J. Taylor gives a sly grin. “There’s a quick murder, a little bit of body-hiding, a lot of slapstick comedy – thunder, lightning, screaming.” This comedy-thriller hits all the high notes of a murder mystery.
Set in William Gillette’s Connecticut Castle, this Edgar Allan Poe Award-winning play transports audiences to 1936 for a cast party that quickly turns deadly – and delightfully funny. Writer Ken Ludwig sets up both quick-witted jokes and an engrossing mystery, all in one night on the Ivoryton Playhouse stage.
Our thanks to Overabove for creating video clips for all our productions!
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Winner! 2012 Mystery Writers of America Edgar Allen Poe Awards – Best Play!
A murderously funny thriller set in William Gillette’s Connecticut Castle – The danger and hilarity are non-stop in this glittering whodunit.
It is December 1936 and Broadway star William Gillette, admired the world over for his leading role in the play Sherlock Holmes, has invited his fellow cast-members to his Connecticut castle for a weekend of revelry. But when one of the guests is stabbed to death, the festivities in this isolated house of tricks and mirrors quickly turn dangerous. Then it’s up to Gillette himself, as he assumes the persona of his beloved Holmes, to track down the killer before the next victim appears.
“From the intriguing opening mini play within a play to the surprise last scene a split second before final curtain, The Game’s Afoot gives you everything you love about great live theatre. Billed as a comedy thriller you will find yourself swept along for a wild and funny ride.” – Cleveland Examiner
Presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.
Erik Bloomquist* (Simon Bright) is a two-time Emmy® Award winner, eight-time nominee, and former Top 200 Director on HBO’s Project Greenlight. Ivoryton: Calendar Girls (US Premiere), Memphis, La Cage aux Folles, The Hundred Dresses, The Bully. Regional: Rear Window (world premiere), Hamlet, Ether Dome, A Christmas Carol — A Ghost Story of Christmas (Hartford Stage). Also Valley Shakespeare Festival, Capital Classics, Playhouse on Park, Legacy Theatre, The Gary-Olivia, and others. Television: 3-time New England Emmy® Award winning and 9-time nominated The Cobblestone Corridor (series creator/actor/director/writer), The Mystery of Matter (PBS), Secrets of the Arsenal (American Heroes Channel), Sorority Nightmare (Lifetime), Mysteries at the Museum (Travel Channel). Stage Directing: The 39 Steps, I’ll Be Home for Christmas (Ivoryton); Footloose (Ozark Actors Theatre); Archetypes in Rehab (Playhouse on Park); Heathers, Carrie, Into the Woods, Rent (Trinity College), Zanna, Don’t! (LGH/True Colors), among others. Film Directing: She Came from the Woods, Ghost Tour (Crypt TV), and upcoming feature Long Lost, among others. Teaching: Former adjunct faculty at Trinity College and Artist-in-Residence at Avon Old Farms. Education: Trinity College and London Dramatic Academy. More at: www.ErikBloomquist.com
Victoria Bundonis* (Inspector Goring) Though New York City is now home, Victoria grew up in Old Saybrook and is delighted to be back on the Playhouse stage where she last appeared as Marie in Calendar Girls and Mrs. Braddock in The Graduate. National tours include the Broadway revival tour of The Music Man and Grease with Frankie Avalon. Favorite NYC credits include Gypsy, Equus, The House of Blue Leaves, The Human Comedy, Memory of Water, and Arms and the Man. Regional favorites include Sweeney Todd (Mrs. Lovett), Beauty and the Beast (Mrs. Potts), Damn Yankees (Meg), 42ndStreet (Dorothy Brock) and most recently, Shear Madness (Mrs. Shubert). TV and film credits include Nurse Jackie, All My Children, Under Jakob’s Ladder and Halfway There. For more information please visit victoriabundonis.com.
Molly Densmore* (Aggie Wheeler) is just giddy to be part of this production! Off-Broadway credits include My Big Gay Italian Midlife Crisis (The Theater Center) and The Tempest (New York Classical Theatre.) Other New York City credits include an all-female Othello and productions at NYMF and Alvin Ailey. Favorite regional credits include Unnecessary Farce and Greetings! (Shadowland Theatre), Start Down (premiere at Centenary Stage) Oliver!, Chicago and Equus. Film/TV credits include the award winning shorts, Monster (Winner: ‘Best Actress’ at Nohu International Film Festival) and While Waiting for Godot. She can be seen on Collegehumor.com, Nickelodeon and recently appeared as a dancing flapper on the Amazon series, Z: The Beginning of Everything. Molly is also an internationally performed stand-up comedian. Love to my parents, Justin and my supportive friends and family!
Katrina Ferguson* (Madge) is pleased to return to the Ivoryton Playhouse where she played Mrs Banks in Barefoot in the Park and Celia in the U.S. Premiere of Calendar Girls. This is her 2nd Ken Ludwig play this year, over the summer she played Charlotte in Moon Over Buffalo at Greenbrier Valley Theatre, WV. Other favorite roles and plays include: Dorset Theatre Festival: Eleanor of Acquitane (Best Actress, The Lion in Winter; NNE Rep NH: Hedda (Hedda Gabler), Emilia (Othello); Anna (Anna Christie); Oldcastle Theatre, VT: Josie (A Moon For The Misbegotten), Maureen (Beauty Queen of Leenane); National Shakespeare Co.: Adriana (Comedy of Errors) American Drama Group Europe (6 seasons): Mrs Cratchit (A Christmas Carol); Arts Center, SC: Sara Rosensweig (The Sisters Rosensweig), Maggie Cutler (The Man Who Came to Dinner) and Womens’ Theatre Company NJ: Maria Callas (Master Class, Footlights Award for Excellence). Katrina’s originally from Australia, lives in NJ with her favorite actor, her husband and is a proud member of Actors’ Equity and SAG-AFTRA. www.katrinaferguson.info
Michael Iannucci* (Felix) is happy to return to the Ivoryton Playhouse where he appeared in last season’s Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks. New York Credits: Fiddler on the Roof (Broadway revival); Enter Laughing (York Theatre); The Awful Truth (Fringe Festival); Shlemiel The First (Theatre for a New Audience); Wallenberg (NYMTF). National Tours: Annie; Fiddler on the Roof. Regional: Veronica’s Room, Beauty and the Beast; And Then There Were None; Phantom (Fulton Theatre); Steel Pier (Actor’s Playhouse); Brighton Beach Memoirs (Seven Angels); The Most Happy Fella; (Theatre Under the Stars); South Pacific (Wick Theatre); Bye Bye Birdie (Westchester Broadway); Falsettoland (Caldwell Theatre, Carbonell Award nomination); My Fair Lady (Lancaster Symphony). Stock: Lend Me A Tenor; Spamalot; A Christmas Carol (Arrow Rock Lyceum); Plaza Suite; I Do, I Do (Allenberry Playhouse); To Kill A Mockingbird; Into The Woods (Forestburgh Playhouse); Guys & Dolls (New Harmony); Chicago; It Shoulda Been You (Mason Street Warehouse). Television: Elementary. www.michaeliannucciactor.com
Craig MacDonald* (William Gillette) is delighted to join the Ivoryton Company for the first time with this production. His most recent work includes performing the role of Richard Russel in All the Way at Theater Squared in Fayetteville, AR, directing Baskerville for the Cider Mill Playhouse in Binghamton, NY in October as well playing Cladwell Caldwell in Urinetown there last June, and performing Lord Astor in Peter and the Star Catcher at the Kitchen Theater in Ithaca, NY. He has worked as an AEA actor, director and theater artist for over 40 years on stages from Off-Broadway to regional theaters and tours, as well as on camera for television and film Sims in the Centenary Stage Production of The Nether and Gaston in Picasso at the Lapin Agile at Syracuse Stage. A lifelong musician, he records original music with Old Scots who released a third album this summer. His thanks as always to Lisa, who makes this all possible. You can see his video reel and production photos here: www.craigmacdonaldactor.com
Maggie McGlone-Jennings (Martha) first performed professionally at the age of eight in the drama Guest in the House; since then, she has worked in theatre as a director, actress, choreographer, costumer and teacher. She is privileged to have studied acting with Constance Welch (Yale School of Drama) and Nikos Psacharopoulous (Williamstown Theatre). Regional theatre credits include the AERY in New York, the Weathervane in Ohio, the Monomoy on Cape Cod, the Mill Hall Playhouse in Pennsylvania, Hartford Stage, and the Eugene O’Neill in Connecticut. Since 2008, she has been involved at Ivoryton Playhouse both as a director of six productions (the last being The Last Romance) and as an actress in eleven productions (most recently as Jessie in Calendar Girls, Maggie in The Bells of Dublin III : A New York Fairytale, and Hanna in Intake). Last summer, she moved to Vermont to be closer to her grandchildren, whose love and energy motivate her to continue to perform at her age!
Beverley J Taylor (Daria Chase) is thrilled to return to Ivoryton as simply an actress. After working here for 15 years in many capacities she is looking forward to working with the very talented staff, cast and of course being directed by best pal Jac. Other roles here at Ivoryton include: Elaine in Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Isobel in The Kitchen Witches, Truvy in Steel Magnolias, Charity Barnum in Barnum and Chris in Calendar Girls. It is exciting to see the Playhouse growing and producing such huge productions, kudos to you all.
Director: Jacqueline Hubbard
Stage Manager: Laura Lynne Knowles*
Scenic Designer: Daniel Nischan
Lighting Designer: Marcus Abbott
Sound Designer: Tate R. Burmeister
Costume Designer: Kathleen T. Gephart
* member of Actors Equity
William Hooker Gillette was a noted actor, director, and playwright. Gillette was born in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1853, the son of former U.S. Senator Francis Gillette and his wife Elizabeth Daggett Hooker Gillette, a descendent of Thomas Hooker, the founder of Hartford. As a child, Gillette was captivated with the stage and acting pursuits, an interest that his parents did not encourage. At age thirteen, he reputedly had built a small stage and amused himself by frequently giving puppet shows for his friends. At age twenty, he left home to follow his chosen career; but success was slow in developing. He attended classes at numerous colleges including Trinity, Yale, Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and College of the City of New York, but never received a degree. His first recognition as an actor was attained when the lead became ill in “Broken Hearts” at the Globe Theater in Boston, and Gillette’s stand-in performance was well received. This led to other and better roles for Gillette. He is most famous for his portrayal of “Sherlock Holmes”. Besides his activities as an actor and playwright, Gillette is known to have written two novels, invented many trick stage props and lighting techniques, and often produced and directed the plays in which he appeared. After his semi-retirement in 1910, Gillette was welcomed by theatergoers countless times during his four revival tours. His last performance was at the Bushnell in Hartford in 1936, the year before his death.
Atop the most southerly hill in a chain known as the Seven Sisters, William Gillette built a one hundred and eighty-four acre estate, the Seventh Sister. The focal point of his effort was a twenty four room mansion reminiscent of a medieval castle.
Purchased by the State of Connecticut in 1943 from the executors of Mr. Gillette’s will, Gillette Castle and the adjoining property with its fine woodlands, trails, and vistas are now administered for the enjoyment of present and future generations. This apparently would have pleased Gillette, since his will gave specific directions to see that the property did not fall into the hands “of some blithering saphead who has no conception of where he is or with what surrounded.” This statement also points out the value Gillette placed upon his estate and the apprehension he felt about its disposition.
Gillette designed the castle and most of its contents personally, periodically checking every phase of their construction. Built of local fieldstone supported by a steel framework, it took twenty men five years (1914-1919), to complete the main structure. Gillette began his semi-retirement in his new home; and in the following years, he supervised the many thousands of refinements created by local craftsmen.
The woodwork within the castle is hand-hewn southern white oak. Of the forty-seven doors within the structure, there are no two exactly the same. And each door has a handsome external latch intricately carved of wood. Even the Castle’s furnishings are indications of Gillette’s inspirations. The built-in couches, a movable table on tracks, and light switches of carved wood all point to his creative genius.
Outside on the grounds, Gillette’s influence is no less in evidence. The trails often follow, over trestle and through tunnel, the actor’s three mile long narrow gauge railroad. Gillette’s own walking paths were constructed with near-vertical steps, stone-arch bridges, and wooded trestles spanning up to forty feet. Other outdoor attractions include a vegetable cellar, the railroad station (Grand Central), and Gillette’s goldfish pond.
Click here for more information on Gillette’s Castle.
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Press Release
It’s Holmes for the Holidays! Ken Ludwig’s THE GAMES AFOOT at the Ivoryton Playhouse
Ivoryton – On November 1st, the Ivoryton Playhouse continues the Halloween season with a murderously funny thriller set in William Gillette’s Connecticut Castle – Ken Ludwig’s THE GAME’S AFOOT.
It is December, 1936 and Broadway star William Gillette, admired the world over for his theatrical portrayal of Sherlock Holmes, has invited his fellow cast-members to his Connecticut castle for a weekend of revelry. But when one of the guests is stabbed to death, the festivities in this isolated house of tricks and mirrors quickly turn dangerous. Then it’s up to Gillette himself, as he assumes the persona of his beloved Holmes, to track down the killer before the next victim appears.
In the vein of the best “whodunit” murder mysteries, the plot takes many twists and turns. The dialogue is witty and face-paced; there’s suspense within the laughter and even when you think you’ve figured out who the bad guy is, you will start to question yourself when the plot takes an unexpected twist.
“From the intriguing opening mini play within a play to the surprise last scene a split second before final curtain, The Game’s Afoot gives you everything you love about great live theatre. Billed as a comedy thriller you will find yourself swept along for a wild and funny ride.” – Cleveland Examiner
THE GAME’S AFOOT is directed by Playhouse Artistic Director, Jacqueline Hubbard and features Ivoryton favorites Erik Bloomquist, Victoria Bundonis*, Katrina Ferguson*, Michael Iannucci*, Maggie McGlone Jennings and Beverley J. Taylor, as well as Craig McDonald*, making his Playhouse debut as William Gillette and Molly Densmore* as the beautiful Aggie. Set design is by Daniel Nischan, lighting design by Marcus Abbott, sound by Tate R. Burmeister and costume design by Kathleen T. Gephart.
THE GAME’S AFOOT opens at the Ivoryton Playhouse on November 1st and runs through November 19th, 2017. Performance times are Wednesday and Sunday matinees at 2pm. Evening performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30pm, Friday and Saturday at 8pm.
Tickets are $50 for adults; $45 for seniors; $22 for students and $17 for children and are available by calling the Playhouse box office at 860-767-7318 or by visiting our website at www.ivorytonplayhouse.org (Group rates are available by calling the box office for information.) The Playhouse is located at 103 Main Street in Ivoryton.
*denotes member of Actors Equity Members of the press are welcome after November 2nd, 2017. Please call ahead for tickets.
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