OCR Text |
Show Thursday, October 25, 1979 Page 9 ousetrap Play Catches Local Audiences Could the murderer be the peculiar architect Christopher Christo-pher Wren; or maybe the equally strange, ever-snooping Mr. Paravacini? Perhaps Per-haps it's one of the other guests, except, of course, the one eliminated from suspicion suspi-cion by falling into the killer's 'mousetrap' by the end of Act I. It could even be one of the Ralstons, owners of Monkswell Manor; you never know, even the most normal behavior becomes suspect when there is murder mur-der in the air. "Mousetrap" is the Park City Players' first non-comedy non-comedy production. But in this mystery, written by Agatha Christie, there are numerous laughs as a host of characters trapped by a snowstorm in a country guest house near Bershire, England, display a variety of peculiar, and conflicting, personalities. One of these characters is a killer, gone psychopathic from brutal treatment suffered as a child at the hands of foster parents. The psychopath is out to revenge those responsible respon-sible for his terrible childhood. child-hood. The first revenge victim is found in London, pinned with the killer's calling card, which bears the musical notation for the nursery rhyme tune "Three Blind Mice." One mouse down, two to go. The killer stalks his prey to Monkswell Manor, a guest house owned by Mollie and Giles Ralston, a newlywed couple that discover they really don't know that much about each other. Before the end of the play, husband (Curt Graf) and wife (Robin Elaine West-phal) West-phal) have developed severe cases of mutual suspicion. Equally suspicious are the guests checking into Monks-well Monks-well Manor: a very peculiar architect named Christopher Wren (Geneo Pirraglio), a very finicky Mrs. Boyle (Mary Austin), the stalwart Major Metcalf (Ron Burnett), Bur-nett), the aloof Miss Casewll (Anne Burnett) and Mr. Paravacini (Chuck Fol-kerth), Fol-kerth), the 'unexpected guest' of stooped posture and sarcastic wit. Joining this group is Sergeant Ser-geant Trotter, of the Bershire Ber-shire Police, who arrives at the snowed-in manor via cross-country skis. Trotter tells the assembled guests that they are in imminent danger. The news hardly ruffles the guests, who are a tight-lipped lot with the Ticket Sales Going Well "Ticket sales for the four final performances of "The Mousetrap" are going extremely ex-tremely well," notes Don Gomes, director of the Agatha Christie mystery currently presented by the M Park City Players in the gallery of the Kimball Art Center. The four final performances per-formances are scheduled for Thursday through Sunday, October 25-28 at 8 p.m. The suspenseful play opened last weekend to near-capacity crowds. The remaining performances are expected to be sold out as well. For ticket information, call the Kimball Art Center at 649-8882. Tickets are: $3 Kimball Art Center members; mem-bers; $4.50 non-members. "The Mousetrap" is the world's longest continuous running play, opening in London in 1952 and continuing continu-ing there today. Playwrite Agatha Christie, noted for her surprise endings, retains her tradition of suspense until the fint." moments. The mystery drama involves in-volves a group of strangers stranded in an English boarding house during a snow storm. One of the visitors is murdered, and the suspects include all of the boarding house guests. A policeman probes the backgrounds back-grounds of everyone present and all are suspect. The identity of the murderer is a startling surprise at the end. For information, call the Kimball Art Center at 649-8882. 649-8882. Hours: Monday-Saturday, Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, noon-6 p.m. r'4 x - Oft J3 h. - - -i I policeman even after one of their number falls to the murderer's hand. Will there be a third victim before a mousetrap can be set for the killer? Audience reactions at last Saturday's performance was at least as enthusiastic as it was for the Park City Players' two comedy productions, pro-ductions, and this shows there is room for the local theater's expansion into other types of drama. In fact, the Players will present their first musical, "Oliver," in mid-December. In addition to the already mentioned actors, "The Mousetrap" crew includes: Don Gomes, director and set design; Jean Piatt, stage manager and set design; Ron Burnett and Chuck Folkerth, light design. "The Mousetrap will continue with performances at the Kimball Art Center this week October 25-28. All performances start at8p.m. JIM WHITE PLUMBING Sewer & Water repair & remodeling new constructions 649-9497 4 I '( r If If k I'v-hoM .fez -v 4 Mr l f - I I 11. 11 LJ . I ft , j 4 , umaWXK W .t."?t.'. X jj ' fit 'i-" ( , ? J i V ' - , .v ,1 ' , ' '' The arrival of Stft. Trotter at Monkswell Manor Photo: Nick Nass Carol Mikita, reporter for 'Night Scene' on KSL TV, Channel 5, interviews "The Mousetrap" director Don Gomes prior to opening night performance at the Kimoaii an tein . Heet CORDIALLY INVITES ALL PARK CITY CHAMBER MEMBERS, THEIR EMPLOYEES AND GUESTS TO AN EVENING WITH THE CANDIDATES n2JJ l uuXjun 1 I IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OF ANY OR ALL OF THE CANDIDATES, PLEASE FILL IN BLANK AND RETURN TO PARK CI TY CHA MBER OF COMMERCE BY MONDAY, OCTOBER 29. Question. Name. Si |