Let's Murder Marsha - Program for the Westbrook Village Players

Page 1

Written by

Monk Ferris By Special Arrangement with Samuel French (Canada Ltd.)

March 24 - 27, 2011 The Vistas Auditorium 18825 N. Country Club Parkway Peoria, AZ

www.WestbrookVillagePlayers.org


A Letter from Jim Hyte, Director: Greetings and welcome to our spring production. We would like to welcome Sharon Moore and Max Allen as our two newest members to our theatre family. I am sure the audience will enjoy seeing them as I have had working with them. We also welcome back some of our veteran actors. Thank you, the audience, for your on-going support of our group of thespians and giving us the opportunity to bring joy to the Westbrook Village stage. We have just as much fun in creating our productions as you do in watching them. We are always on the lookout for new talent, so come and join us! Check our website at www.WestbrookVillagePlayers.org for upcoming auditions and openings for behind the scenes, too. Enjoy the show! Marsha Gilmore is the wife of wealthy stockbroker Tobias. Marsha’s secret passion is “sleazy slasher novels,” which she hides because her husband disapproves of their content. As the play opens, she is concerned because she has lost her current novel, “The Creeping Slasher,” which is overdue at the library. She enlists the aid of her maid, Bianca and there follows a series of comings and goings and misheard conversations worthy of a French bedroom farce, which all lead to Marsha coming to the conclusion that her husband is plotting to kill her, with the assistance of his new girlfriend. In truth, Tobias has purchased a sea plane as a birthday gift for his wife. To assist him in the surprise, Tobias has hired interior decorator Persis Devore, to help with the design of the plane’s interior. The maid suggests that Marsha enlist the aid of a neighbor, Virgil Baxter, a pharmacist who has his own secrets, with the murder of her husband, which she feels is her only defense against her own untimely demise. Baxter agrees to concoct some sort of odorless, tasteless poison which will leave no clues for police following the poisoning of Tobias and his assumed mistress. Again there are more comings, goings, prop switches and the entrance of Marsha’s mother, Lynette Thoren to further confuse things. Well, finally, just when you would think all this would be cleared up, Marsha’s intended victims discover what she has supposed, and decide to teach her a lesson by actually pretending to be murderers.


Let’s Murder Marsha By Monk Ferris

Cast of Characters Tobias Gilmore .............................................. Max Allen Marsha Gilmore ..................................... Sharon Moore Virgil Baxter ................................................. Jerry Kelly Persis Devore .................................. Dianemarie Collins Bianca ................................................... Linda Siegwald Lynette Thoren ................................ Rosa Leigh Sullivan Ben Quade .............................................. Jeff Strickman

Act One

Early Evening The Gilmore’s City Apartment

15 Minute Intermission Act Two

The same time and place

Act Three

The same time and place Produced by special arrangement with

Samuel French (Canada, Ltd.)


WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST Sharon Moore (Marcia Gilmore) ) is making her first appearance on the Village Players’ stage. She fancied herself as a budding Carol Burnett as a child, but became a teacher rather than an actress. She “transitioned” after 39 years as an educator and is back to theater. She played the role of Miss Willie in the Pinewood Players production of The Curious Savage and is cast as Vivian Tractman in their next summer’s production of Love, Sex, and the IRS. She and her husband, David, have a son and daughter-in-law in Brooklyn and another son in Chicago. She fills her days writing novels, short stories, and plays. David encouraged her to follow her dreams, and she is. Max Allen (Tobias Gilmore) marks his return to the stage after more than 30 years. Max hails from Bangor, Maine and moved into Westbrook Village with his wife Froma in September of 2007 after spending 20 years in Oklahoma. He is enjoying retirement after a long career in service as a Consultant Pharmacist to the Long Term Care Industry, both in Maine and Oklahoma. Max and Froma have three children and 5 grandchildren. In Maine, he joined the Beth Abraham Sisterhood Theater Group and performed in several locally written and produced musical variety shows. With this experience under his belt he then secured leading roles in three Neil Simon plays, acting the role of the older brother, Alan Baker in Come Blow Your Horn, the cleanliness freak and fussbudget, Felix Unger in The Odd Couple and the nasty old partner Al Lewis in The Sunshine Boys. He is very excited to be back on the stage and wishes to thank the director and players for giving him this chance. He dedicates this performance to his daughter Meredith, who lives in New York but will always live in his heart.


Jerry Kelly (Virgil Baxter & set designer) was most recently seen as Henry Mitchell in the Village Players’ Sex Please We’re Sixty. He is a founding member of the Village Players and is currently serving as president. He has appeared in plays and musicals since high school. He has appeared in La Traviata at the Orpheum Theater and starred as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof and HMS Pinafore for the Phoenix Summer Fine Arts Festival. While living in Denver he appeared as Herbie in Gypsy and the Rev. Witherspoon in 1776 at Scarlett’s Dinner Theater. He has appeared in Westbrook Village productions of Faith County, An Evening of Culture, Hotbed Hotel, Borderline Crazies, Plaza Suite and Lafferty’s Wake; as well as designed and constructed sets for most of the these shows. He and his wife Edie have a true love for music and the theater. His favorite role has been husband to Edie and thanks her for her insight. Jeff Strickman (policeman, Ben Quade) Born(yes) Brooklyn, NY in 1943. I was in all my grade school productions through the eighth grade. Then I did nothing in the theater until last spring when I joined the cast of Westbrook Village Players’ “A Bad Year for Tomatoes.” I spent 2 years in the Army (1965-1967) followed by 41 years as a letter carrier 4 the USPO. I play the drums and used to perform at the hotels in the Catskill Mts. during the summer before I got drafted. Yes girls, he is single.

THE VILLAGE PLAYERS WANT YOU!

Can you act, wield a hammer, sew, write articles, paint, etc.? Are you interested in belonging to a fun, active club? We welcome new members in any capacity. Join us at our meetings on the second Monday of each month in the Vistas Game Room at 7:00 PM - or contact Marilou McIntyre, successmm@msn.com for information.

www. WestbrookVillagePlayers.org


WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST Linda Evans Siegwald (Bianca) is thrilled to be back on the Westbrook stage, where she was seen in Plaza Suite and Alone Together Again. She was also seen in Working at Theater Works and was involved in many productions at Phoenix College and ASU while earning her A.A. and B.A.E. in Theater. However, recently her biggest roles are gifted teacher to her captive audience of junior high students and doting grandmother to her captivating audience of adorable babies. With work, family, church, and leading student tours Linda has little free time, but she loves the concept of having leisure time to scrapbook, travel, and read. Thanks, Scott, for all your support of my acting bug, and thanks, Village Players and Jim, for making this such a fun experience!


Dianemarie (DM) Collins (Persis Devore) returns to the Village Players where she was recently seen in the role of Molly in Westbrook Village Players’ production of Lafferty’s Wake. A resident of Westbrook since 2004, she and her husband Doug also live in Reno, Nevada. Dianemarie began her performing career at the age of six in her mother’s dance studio recitals in Phoenix. After attending Arizona State University, she left for the bright lights of Broadway. DM continued her training in New York City with the Joffery Ballet, Luigi, and Phil Black. She also studied voice and opera under Coe Glade and acting at the H-B Studios. While in NYC, DM performed in several productions from off-Broadway to dinner theater including Guys and Dolls, Cabaret and finally as an understudy in A Chorus Line.

Top: The Creeping Slasher The book that starts all the trouble. Left: Group shot from Let’s Murder Marsha

Returning from New York, leads in local valley productions included Pajama Game and Kiss Me Kate. While in Nevada, she has been cast as a featured performer in commercials and movies filmed in the Reno and Lake Tahoe area. Along with Doug, DM sang in nightclubs and cabarets across the country before retiring to the corporate world and now their own marketing, web-design and PR company, DM Productions LLC. Dianemarie can now be seen on the Internet as the host of the DM Zone interviewing clients that range from master artists, corporate executives to famous authors. A fourth-generation native of Arizona makes her a rare commodity amongst the many snowbirds.


WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST Rosa Leigh Sullivan (Lynette Thoren) and her husband, Mike, have 4 grown children between them and 3 grandchildren. Rosa Leigh was born in Japan to missionary parents. She began performing in 5th grade by teaching English on Japanese TV. She modeled for ads in high school. She has a B.A. in Theater from Georgetown College (KY) and an M.S. in Counseling from Indiana University. In between those degrees, she became an Intensive Cardiac Care nurse. She spent 30 years as a healthcare professional in various roles. Her theater roles include being a Pidgeon sister (The Odd Couple), Goneril (King Lear), Clytemnestra (Agamemnon) Lorraine Sheldon (The Man Who Came to Dinner), Angustia (The House of Bernarda Alba), and Queen Hippolyta (Midsummer Night’s Dream). She was also in Thurber Carnival, and an extra in independent films, including A Boy in the Making, Japan, and A League of Their Own. More recently, she was Ida (The Cemetery Club), Maggie (Lafferty’s Wake), and Grace (Alone Together Again), Myra Marlowe (A Bad Year For Tomatoes), and Hillary Hudson (Sex Please We’re Sixty). She will be appearing as Melissa in Love Letters on April 26 and 27 here at the Vistas. She performs monologues and readings at church and enjoys golf, movies, reading, crocheting, painting and volunteering at Mayo Clinic. She would like to thank her husband, Mike, for supporting her love of theater.

Love Letters Starring

Rosa Leigh Sullivan & Mike Eaton

April 26 & 27, 2011 www.WestbrookVillagePlayers.org


WHO’S WHO IN THE CREW Jim Hyte (Director) wears a myriad of hats with this group. This is the 15th play which he has directed for the Village Players, and he has also performed in two of them. He has been known to paint sets, make costumes, put together sound clips, film off-set, etc. Jim is a fulltime teacher at Bennett Academy and has been teaching and directing for over 30 years. His past diverse areas are teaching for Ice Capades, writing children’s ice shows, technical director for Theater Works, and production designer in Hollywood. Jim is a nine-time Zoni nominee. In 2002, his original production of Testament was awarded the Zoni (now called AriZoni) for Best Original Children’s Show, and he recently won the 2010 AriZoni for Best Guest Actor. His local theater experience includes works at the Herberger, Orpheum, and Arizona Performing Arts Theaters. He has written seven plays and was nominated as one of the top Arizona playwrights. Jim lives in Glendale with his wife and son. He does nothing in his spare time. . . there is none.

Alan Moerdyk (Lighting Design) is pleased to be lighting his second production for WVP. Previous designs include Into the Woods Junior, Seussical Junior, Lucky Stiff, Our Country’s Good and Blackbeard, The Musical (shared Zoni award) at Mesa Community College, She Loves Me at Hale Center Theatre and Bye Bye Birdie for Mesa Encore Theatre.

Karen Hamilton (Sound Technician) has been doing theater around the Valley for several years. She has no desire to be on stage, but loves doing the tech side of theater. She has worked as a stage hand, stage manager, light board operator and sound board operator. Thanks to Jim and Jerry for getting me involved with this great group of people!


Production Staff Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jim Hyte Sound Technician . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Karen Hamilton Lighting Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alan Moerdyk Set Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jerry Kelly Set Construction Crew . . . Jerry & Edie Kelly, Jim Hyte, Rosa Leigh Sullivan, David & Sharon Moore, Linda & Scott Siegwald, DM Collins, Max Allen, Barb Rettig, Jeff Strickman, and John Vetner Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Douglas Collins Publicity Poster Design & Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . Douglas Collins Publicity Crew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dianemarie Collins, Rosa Leigh Sullivan, Marilou Macintyre, Jerry Kelly & Sears King Stage Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barb Rettig Props . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barb Rettig Make-up Consultant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Diane Armstrong Ad Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Donna Raffel House Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sears King Catering Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jerry Kelly Table Decorations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Donna Raffel & Barb Rettig Door Prizes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Donna Raffel AriZoni Awards Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rosa Leigh Sullivan

Westbrook Village Players Officers

President .......................................... Jerry Kelly Vice President .................................. Rosa Leigh Sullivan Recording Secretary ......................... Barb Rettig Social Secretary ................................ Marilou McIntyre Treasurer ......................................... Barb Rettig Past President .................................. Rosa Leigh Sullivan


Westbrook Village Players’ Sponsors 2010-2011 Platinum Level ($600+) Ron and Sandy Potter Doug and Dianemarie (DM) Collins Linda and Scott Siegwald Silver Level ($300-$449) Rosa Leigh and Mike Sullivan

The Westbrook Village Players is a not-for-profit volunteer organization that entirely produces each of our plays, and, through our outreach program, has actively worked with local schools and retirement homes recreating historical characers and events. We now offer the opportunity for individuals and businesses to sponsor the work of our performing arts group. Donations are tax deductible, Our sponsors will have the pleasure of knowing that they have helped to provide reasonably-priced entertainment to our community and will also receive the following benefits: Platinum Level - $600 and up - 6 comp. tickets to each play Gold Level - $450 - $599 - 4 comp. tickets for each play Silver Level - $300-$449 - 2 comp. tickets for each play In addition, sponsors’ names appear in all programs and sponsors are invited to an exclusive reception opening night.


CACTUS CLUB (as of 2-16-2011) Saguaro Members: ($100)

Peter & Janet Atkins 2011 Carol Buonincontro 2011 Mike & Debbie Eaton 2011 Jim & Sharon Gallagher 2011 G Karl & P Heidemann 2011 M.Keller GRI & R Lyzniak 2010 Jim & Patricia Phillips 10-11 Ron & Sandy Potter 2010 David & Nancy Sullivan 10-11 Linda Torrance 10-11 Fran Trapp 10-11 Herb & Marj Turkheimer 10-11

Ocotillo Members: ($50)

Jack & Sandy Anderson 2011 Joe & Faith Bachik 2011 Bill & Marilyn Boyd 2011 Chips & Judy Christensen 2010 Ralph & Dorothy Cleaver 2011 Harold & Kay Cunningham 10-11 Sandy Fiechtner 2010 Al & Bonnie Franco 2011 Robert & Carol Jensen 2011 Jerry & Edie Kelly 09-10 Sears & Alice King 2011 Otto & Kay Kitzing 09-10 Trudy Knudsen 2011 Robert & Alene Logan 2011 George & Evonne Lund 09-10 Max & Aleta McCabe 2011 Jim & Ardis McCutcheon 2011 Mary Lou Muller 2011 Angie Penner 2011 Jean Peterson 2011

Jim & Janince Prondzinski 2011 Dick & Carol Reed 10-11 R Scheyer & J Iverson 2011 Bonnie Skaugrud 10-11 Ray & Betty Sullivan 2011 Jack & Martha Swanson 10-11 Virgil & Norma Vandenburg 2011 Herb & Barbara Verboom 10-11 John & Millie Vetnar 10-11 Connie & Mary J Vitale 09-10 John & Mariba Vitullo 2010 Stan & Lou Wong 2011

Cholla Members ($25)

Herma Allocco 2011 Sandra Bacs 2011 Mary Bailey 2011 Laraine Baker 2011 Anne Bakos 2011 John & Jackie Bauernfeind 2011 Phil & Lucy Block 10-11 Lois Bowers 2011 James & Janice Brady 2011 Fred & Ann Brill 10-11 Mary & David Cederholm 2011 Andy & Carmen Christensen 2011 Cee Cervenka & Bob Hansen 2011 David & Carol Cox 10-11 Joe & Chrys Clark 10-11 John & Annette Colombo 10-11 Sally Crowley 2011 Denny & Flo Curran 2011 Chuck & Connie Denton 2011 Milton & Pat Dworkin 10-11 Dorothy Esbenshade 2011 Peter & Karen Fetzer 2011 Dudley & Beatrice Fiscus 2010


Judy Fleming 10-11 Bill ‘ and Rose Fleming 2011 Virginia Gale 10-11 Glenn & Lynda Garfield 2010 Quanah Gaylin 2010 Donita German 2011 John & Debbie Gibson 10-11 Rose Godbehere 10-11 Stan & Min Grobman 09-10 Bill & Arlene Haas 2011 Bob & Mickie Hatcher 2011 Tom & Ellen Howells 2011 John & Ann Haumann 2011 Pat & Patty Hickson 2011 Chuck & Barbara Hill 2011 George Hoffman 2011 Peggy Johnson 2011 Bob & Virginia Klauer 2011 Tom & Nina Kornell 2011 Ken & Jenny Main 2011 Mary Ann Mair 10-11 Al & Lola McCloskey 2011 Fern McKnight 2010 Sam & Norma McNutt 2010 Mary McPherson 2010 Bill & Marcia Miller 2010 Tom & Marlyss Miller 2011

Rich & Gina Mitch 09-10 Marsha Montgomery 2011 Walt & Arlene Nagel 10-11 Vic & Elayne Pearson 09-10 Geri Pokrak 09-10 Eli & Mary Rabkin 2011 Ted & Donna Raffel 2011 Jackie Rice 2010 Doris Roach 10-11 Crystal Rollf & Ron Johne 2011 Bob & Nancy Roth 2010 Sandra Rozzen 2011 Bill & Linda Saba 2011 Larry & Maggie Santschi 09-10 Mel & Lynn Schlunz 2010 Harold & Lorraine Skoda 09-10 Harold Slagle 10-11 Norm & Kathleen Snider 10-11 Don & Ginger Tottenhoff 2010 Ed & Lee Traina 2010 John & Manetta Vojtas 2010 Bill & Dolores Whalen 10-11 Herb & Carole Wilson 09-10 Les & Barbara Wilson 2011 M Beth Worstell 2011 Bill & Elizabeth Wyckoff 10-11 Rosemary Zwick 10-11

What is the Cactus Club? The Cactus Club is a group of Westbrook Village

residents who annually donate money to help support the activities of the Performing Arts Council. Some of PAC’s most important activities have been that of building and equipping the sound booth, improving the sound system, and updatiing the stage lighting fixtures and lighting board in the Vistas auditorium. Preferred Seating in the front of the auditorium is provided for Cactus Club members at all PAC events. We welcome new members! Memberships ($25 Cholla, $50 Ocotillo, $100 Saquaro) can be purchased at either of the Westbrook Village Recreation Centers.

What is the Performing Arts Council? The Performing Arts Council is com-

posed of representatives from the Westbrook Village Performing Arts Clubs. The Council meets once a month to discuss common problems and to annually produce the Fabulous Follies.


Just exactly what are hoping to get with those?

Will kissing Ben really help it all get better?

The plot thickens when Virgil is asked to mix the poison!

www.WestbrookVillagePlayers.org for Online Ticketing & More!


Did you know? •

The next play the Westbrook Village Players will produce is Love Letters in April 26 & 27,2011. In the fall, we are bringing back the musical comedy with a performance of Nunsense II with live music in November 2011. This hilarious comedy will be performed November 2-5, 2011. Mark your calendars now! Auditions for Nunsense II will be posted on website soon. Auditions are open to all, whether or not you have any experience with acting. Men are especially encouraged to audition. Rehearsals will begin in September, but those who are cast in roles will be able to get their scripts in April so they can begin learning their lines. The Westbrook Village Players have a beautiful updated website and online ticketing with our secure site! To see photos and video of past productions, read about club members and activities, or learn about the club, please visit our site at www.WestbrookVillagePlayers.org. The Westbrook Village Players Club is proud to announce that it has been accepted into the AriZoni Theatre Awards of Excellence program, 2010-2011.

Let’s Murder Marsha’s cast members had lots of great fun as they really got into character in this comedy performance.



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www.WestbrookVillagePlayers.org for online ticketing & more!




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Our Thanks to . . . . . . our platinum sponsors, Ron and Sandy Potter, for their continued, loyal support.

. . . our advertisers. Please tell you saw their ads in this program. Without their support, we wouldn’t be able to present this play. . . . Jerry Johnson, Pat Phillips and Scott Siegwald for all of their efforts to secure a new light board and microphones for us. . . .Doug Collins, for creating our attractive, informative new website. . . . the staff of the Vistas and Lakes Recreation Centers for their assistance. . . . and a special thanks to Lauren Lee, General Manager; Anne Brinkman, Recreation Manager; Hugo Bastidos, Facilities Supervisor; and the Westbrook Village Board of Directors for their support of the Village Players and PAC.

You are appreciated!




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