In theater, few things are more enduring — or endearing — than a comedic whodunit.
In the Agatha Christie-like mystery “Something’s Afoot,” the Edmonds Driftwood Players’ latest production, one more element is added — music.
It’s unusual to begin a season with a musical, but the choice was intentional — to create excitement for the opening of Driftwood’s 60th season, said Katie Soule, the troupe’s managing director.
Director Scot Charles Anderson characterizes the show as a farce, poking fun at the famed English writer’s mystery novels.
All the stock murder-mystery characters are present, including the butler, maid, doctor and, of course, a detective.
“It’s this delightful, zany, kooky comedy, and they sing and dance through the murder,” Anderson said.
During last week’s opening weekend, Anderson said he spent the intermissions asking patrons who they thought the perpetrator was.
“Everyone had a different idea of who they thought did it,” he said.
Anderson grew up in Republic in northeast Washington and lived in Seattle for a few years in the 1990s before moving to New York City to pursue acting.
After 18 years on the East Coast, he moved back to the Seattle area.
“Something’s Afoot” is his directorial debut at Driftwood.
Because of the unusual mix of a mystery play with music, the play relies on an ensemble performance from its 10-member cast.
The cast has some relatively new performers, such as Laura McFarlane, who plays Hope, and Josh Pulley, who plays Nigel Rancour. It also includes some people familiar to area theatergoers, such as Dorothy Rosenthal Pierce, who is theater director at Edmonds Heights K-12 school in the Edmonds School District, he said.
“It takes all of them to make the show work,” Anderson said.
But one character, Miss Tweed, played by Teri Lee Thomas, is the amateur detective (and the Agatha Christie role) who “carries us through the show,” he said.
And, of course, there’s one final question: Who did do the deed?
Not surprisingly, Anderson isn’t about to divulge the secret, only giving some clues.
“I keep telling people you won’t expect it,” he said. “It’s not who you think it is. There are surprises throughout the entire show.”
Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486; salyer@heraldnet.com.
If you go
What: Edmonds Driftwood Players’ “Something’s Afoot”
Where: Wade James Theatre, 950 Main St. Edmonds
When: Shows at 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays through Sept. 30
Tickets: General admission $28, seniors/military $25
More: 425-774-9600 or www.edmondsdriftwoodplayers.org
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