The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940

Directed by Jerry Finley

Ticket Prices: $15 adult, $10 student (under 18)

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Other Programming at the Arts Center...

Past GP Seasons....

2007-2008
Academia Nuts
Two by Two
The Wizard of Oz
We the People
The Madwoman of Chaillot
Our Town

2006-2007
How the Other Half Loves
The Fantasticks
To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday
Into the Woods
The Road to Mecca

2005-2006
Cemetery Club
Little Shop of Horrors
No Sooner Won Than Wed
Laura
Quilters

2004-2005
1776
A Voice of My Own
The Pirates of Penzance
Run For Your Wife
Pippin

See a list of all previous shows!

Show Times: Friday & Saturday nights @ 8 pm, Sunday afternoons @ 3 pm

October 31-November 2, November 7-9, 2008

Not a musical, but a comedic murder mystery by John Bishop. An ingenious and wildly comic romp which enjoyed a long and critically hailed run both on and Off-Broadway. Poking antic fun at the more ridiculous aspects of "show biz" and the corny thrillers of Hollywood's heyday, the play is a non-stop barrage of laughter as those assembled (or at least those who aren't killed off) untangle the mystery of the "Stage Door Slasher." Directed by Jerry Finley.

"...enormous fun...Its strength comes in part from the sheer diamond wit and diamante showbiz glitter of Bishop's writing. Even his corn is succulently served." NY Post.

"MURDERS is the intelligent person's kind of nonsense." NY Magazine

The Director....

Jerry Finley (Joe Stoddard) has been a member of GP for many years and has performed in The Fantastics, 1776, Pirates of Penzance, and We, the People. He directed No Sooner Won Than Wed for GP last season, and wielded hammers and paint brushes on occasion. Other performance venues are UNH, Hackmatack, the former Dover Repertory Theatre, and Theatre-by-the-sea. When nbot on stage, Jerry is an avid gardner.

	The Cast....


	Carol Seely (Bernice Roth) has appeared in numerous theater productions Seacoast as an actor, director and musical director. She has worked with Garrison Players and many other theaters in the Seacoast as performer, musical director and director. She has appeared at Prescott Park Arts Festival most recently as Frau Schmidt in their production of The Sound of Music, Rochester Opera House (Clelia in The Nerd and Sarah Good in The Crucible), the Firehouse Theater in Newburyport, Hackmatack Theater, Seacoast Repertory Theater, and the Bell Center. Her favorite roles have been Clairee in Steel Magnolias, Jenny in Quilters and Mrs. Gibbs in Our Town. Carol lives in North Hampton with husband, Scott, a veterinarian, and directs the Handbell choir at First Parish Church in Dover and the Riverwoods Retirement Community Chorus in Exeter.

			Christopher M. Gempp (Eddie) is making his debut with Garrison Players. He is a graduate of Keene State College with a Bachelors of Music in Music Education and is currently teaching general music and chorus at Strafford School. His previous shows include: South Pacific (Leddy Center); Love & Laughter (Ann White Northwood Theater Workshop); Sweeny Todd (Worchester County Light Opera Company); Urinetown (Keene State College; Jeffery (Epic Theater Company); Cabaret, Kiss Me Kate, Crazy for You, and West Side Story (Bristol Theatre Company).


		Philip Adams (Ken De La Maize) is happy to once again be playing a character with a first name! In his last two shows with GP he has been Professor Willard, a Dead Man, a Deaf Mute and a Reporter. Thanks to Jerry for giving me this opportunity and thanks also to J, P, & K for putting up with my absence from home.



				Debra Martuscello Wiley (Elsa Von Grossenknuten) has been a regular on stages all over the Seacoast for years starting her career with Garrison Players at the age of 12 in Fiddler On The Roof, Way Way Back A Long Time Ago! Since then, she has worked on stages and at schools all over the Seacoast as an actress, Director and a Theater Teacher. Most recently she has been seen on the Hackmatack Playhouse Stage as Ruella in Communicating Doors and with Gamaliel Theatre as Sumiko in The Car. Debra has also performed at Seacoast Repertory starring as Mrs. Darling in Peter Pan, Blanche Dubois in A Streetcar Named Desire, for which she won the Best Actress Spotlight Award 2004, Meredith in Bat Boy and Mrs Peacock in Clue the Musical. Some of her most memorable roles have been Elizabeth Proctor in The Crucible, Elsa in The Sound Of Music, Stella (and Blanche) in A Streetcar Named Desire, Curly's Wife in Of Mice and Men, Mary in Detective Story, Mrs. Cratchitt in A Christmas Carol Many Many times at The Dover Repertory Theater! Debra is the mom of David, Zachary and Ana and works as a Weight Loss Consultant at Jenny Craig in Portsmouth. Debra is very pleased to be working with Gerry Finley again and Garrison Players in their new Theater.


	Kate Miller (Marjorie Baverstock) After playing Ethel in On Golden Pond at The Rep in Portsmouth and Jane in Camp Pirate at the Firehouse Theatre in Newburyport, MA, Kate is delighted to make her first appearance on stage with Garrison Players. She heartily thanks her family and dear friends who have supported her in her many "ventures" and thinks it's simply divoon of you to share this evening with her!

			Nikki-Lee Pelletier (Nicole Crandall) currently resides in Somersworth. This is Nikki’s first production with Garrison Players and she is excited to be involved with an extraordinary ensemble of performers. Nikki has participated in and/or performed with many community theater groups across the country and abroad, including productions with Eastern Michigan University, Stage Door production in Oklahoma and the Misawa AB Players in Misawa Japan. Her favorite roles have included Chick in Crimes of the Heart, Alais Capet in The Lion in Winter, the Princess in Love’s Labor’s Lost, and being mother to her three adored children at home.


	Donna Phofolos (Helsa Wenzel) is a graduate of Syracuse University with a B.F.A. in Drama. Donna moved to NYC and appeared in numerous Off Broadway, Summer Stock and Regional Theater productions. Some favorites include Masha in The Three Sisters, Vanessa in A Weekend Near Madison, Eve in The Apple Tree, the title role in Move Over Mrs. Markham, and Olivia Langdon in The Mark Twain Musical Drama, directed by Tony nominee, Dennis Rosa. Donna also appeared as Juliet in the National Theater's tour of Romeo and Juliet, and was featured as Chrissy in the European tour of Hair. She left NY to appear in the L.A. production of The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, produced by Christopher Lloyd, Donna then became a member of the Open Fist Theater Company and in One Acts by Joe Pintaura, Baal, Tiny Alice and Goose and TomTom. Her last professional performance was in the West Coast premiere of Making Book, as Ellen Winston. Returning to the theater after a LONG hiatus, Donna is delighted to be working with Garrison Players and thanks her husband, Billy and children Costas and Demetrius for their support and encouragement.

			Michael Turner (Michael Kelly) is pleased to be working with Garrison Players as an actor. Previously, Michael had designed lights for several shows for Garrison Players including Quilters, for which he won a New Hampshire Theatre award for Best Lighting Design. This is the second time Michael has played Detective Kelly and no, he is not Irish.


	Rich Salvati (Roger Hopewell) is happy to be in another performance, his third, with Garrison Players. He appeared as the Street Singer in The Madwoman of Chaillot and most recently as Sam Craig in Our Town. This is the third production in which he has had the pleasure of working with both Phil Adams and Jerry Finley. A resident of Rollinsford, Rich is thankful that this community has such a great organization like the Garrison Players in its midst. Rich would like to thank his wife, Kate, son Sam, and awesome daughter Isabelle for all their support.


			John Safina (Patrick O’Reilly) has been seen on the GP stage in 1776 in the role of Judge James Wilson, Major General Stanley in Pirates of Penzance, Shelby Carpenter in Laura, Stanley Gardner in Run For Your Wife, for which he was nominated for a Spotlight Award, and as Paul in To Gillian on her 37th Birthday. John has directed The Fantasticks for Garrison Players, and also directed Little Shop of Horrors, which was nominated for Best Musical by the New Hampshire Theater Association. During the day John is an Assistant Principal at William Allen School in Rochester, NH.