Justin Meyer, Madi Wilson and Rylee Johnson are rehearsing their lines for the upcoming interactive murder mystery “Death and Deceit on the Nile” Feb. 21-22 at 7 p.m. and Feb. 23 at 2 p.m. in Herod Hall Auditorium at Northwestern-Alva.
Northwestern Oklahoma State University Fine Arts Department will present “Death and Deceit on the Nile” by Peter DePietro Feb. 21-22 at 7 p.m. and Feb. 23 at 2 p.m. in Herod Hall Auditorium. This production will be something different for the department, as it will be an interactive murder mystery with dessert.
The production is open to the public, but limited seats are available. Tickets are encouraged to be reserved ahead of time. Admission is $12 for general audience, $10 for faculty and staff with employee IDs and $5 for students with current student IDs. To reserve tickets contact the play’s director, Kimberly Weast, professor of Theatre Arts and Chair of the Department of Fine Arts, at (580) 327-8462.
Weast said she has directed several murder mysteries, but has never done one as interactive as this one will be. She said the actors will call out audience member names, and the audience will be able to ask questions and vote on who they think the murderer is.
“I just wanted to do something different and fun,” Weast said. “I read 80-100 plays over the summer, and I keep reading all fall if I haven’t figured out what spring is going to be. I think this will be fun.”
The production is set in the 1940s on the Nile River and is rated PG-13.
The play is about an ancient Egyptian pharaoh’s secret tomb and treasure that have been discovered. Because of its extraordinary value, the tomb has been named the “Eighth Wonder of the World.” A cast of bizarre international characters assembles to view it: a scheming professor, a voluptuous princess, a daffy housekeeper, a slick lounge lizard, an astute writer and a dealer in exotic antiques. Suddenly, gunshots ring out! The archeological wonder becomes the focus of murder. Heated interrogations, shocking revelations and hilarious banter eventually give way to the dramatic realization of whodunit. When the killer is caught, the ancient gods of Egypt can rest easily…or can they?
Michelle Willson, Conway Springs, Kansas, sophomore, is the stage manager.
The cast members, along with their hometowns and classifications, include: Justin Meyer, Alva freshman; George Spelvin, Okeene sophomore; Duncan Brown, Gate sophomore; Rylee Johnson, Amarillo, Texas, freshman; Austin Morton, Buffalo freshman; Madi Wilson, Enid junior; Georgina Spelvin, Alva senior; and Dakota Retherford, Cushing freshman.
Understudies and servers include: Peyton Lucas, Fairview sophomore; Jake Lee, Ponca City freshman; Erin Lehr, 2011 Northwestern theatre alumna; Michael Day, Okeene sophomore; Georgette Spelvin, Fairview sophomore; Chris Chauncey, Cordell freshman; and Willson.
Additional servers include: Sydney Endsley, Meno freshman; Hunter McEachern, Weatherford freshman; Maleah Schmitz, Alva freshman; and Tiffany Willson, Conway Springs, Kansas, junior.
Weast said the students in the theatre department put in a lot of hard work and effort to their productions averaging approximately 40 hours a week for eight weeks. She said she highly encourages students, employees and the public to come out and support these students and the theatre program.
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