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Murder on arrival brings thrills to Brownville Village Theatre
BY MICHAELBRUNTZ
Thursday, Jun 10, 2004 - 09:59:53 pm CDT
Brownville Village Theatre director Chet Harper knows which tickets to hold for longtime patrons of the Southeastern Nebraska theatre.
Many of the people who were present for the theatre's opening performance in 1966 will be in Brownville for the opening of its 38th season tonight.
"Over the 38 years we've gotten a very strong base of people," Harper said. "We know that within the first week we're open they're going to be calling."
This season, regulars will see the comedies and farces that have allowed the theatre to develop a loyal following.
The schedule also features the thriller "Murder on Arrival," which is the first time in nearly 10 years the theatre has performed a thriller in the summer.
In the fall, Harper holds open auditions to perform a thriller or murder mystery in October. The cast is typically comprised of Peru State College students and local actors.
He said the success of the fall show encouraged him to look at revamping the summer lineup.
"I think it's going to work," Harper said. "We've had a lot of people calling about it."
The play's director, Josh Mann, is in his third year at Brownville. Mann auditioned at the American College Theatre Festival following his senior year at Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa.
Mann ran the box office and acted at the theatre, before Harper asked him to return this season to act and direct.
"I just kept getting sucked in," Mann said.
The whodunit centers around a young widowed artist who rents an isolated cottage, but finds a body in the cupboard before she can unpack.
Uneasy neighbors quickly become suspects, and several red herrings are thrown out to confuse the audience.
The thriller runs seven times this summer beginning July 10 at 2 p.m.
"Murder on Arrival" is just one of the plays the company of 13 actors has been rehearsing since arriving in Brownville.
Harper finds the actors, like Mann, at the American College Theatre Festival. Performers get 90 seconds to present a monologue and sing for directors, who must then decide whom to interview in the afternoon before making final decisions.
Picking actors after such a short audition is risky, but Harper said he's had excellent groups since taking over a year ago.
"You have to be looking for that little thing that stands out," he said. "It's extremely difficult to do, but I've been extremely lucky to get some good company members."
Trying to get people together from a variety of locations with only seven weeks to prepare for five plays leaves some questions about how the product will turn out.
"You always wonder if things are going to pull together, but usually they do," he said.
Reach Michael Bruntz at 473-7254 or mbruntz@;journalstar.com
Season schedule
The 38th season of the Brownville Village Theatre kicks off tonight with "See How They Run," the first of five plays in repertory this summer. The season ends Aug. 15.
Evening shows begin at 7:30 p.m. and matinees are at 2 p.m.
All seats are reserved and advanced reservations are necessary. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7.50 for students 18-and-under. Groups of 10 or more are $8.
Call (402) 825-4121 for reservations. The box office is open daily from 9 a.m to 5 p.m.
Here is the season's schedule:
n "See How They Run," a side-splitting British farce by Philip King - June 11, 26, July 3, 4, 11, 16, 18 (matinee), 23, 31 (matinee), Aug. 14
n "Petey's Choice," a light-hearted comedy by Fred Carmichael - June 12, 18, 26 (matinee), July 2, 11 (matinee), 18, 24 (matinee), Aug. 7, 12
n "Arsenic and Old Lace," a classic American comedy by Joseph Kesselring - June 19, 25, 27 (matinee), July 3 (matinee), 17 (matinee), 22, 25 (matinee), 30, 31, Aug. 8 (matinee), 14(matinee)
n "Murder on Arrival," an intriguing whodunit by George Batson - July 10 (matinee), 24, 29, Aug. 1 (matinee), 6, 8, 13
n "Boeing Boeing," a wacky comedy by Marc Camoletti - July 9, 10, 15, 17, 25, Aug. 1, 5, 7 (matinee), 15 (matinee)
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