Today we call it reality TV, and it’s everywhere.
In the 1970 murder mystery comedy “Done to Death,” it’s called ground-breaking television.
Historic Everett Theatre’s Outcast Players present the play by Fred Carmichael through July 27 at the theater.
It’s the story of a group of well-known — if past their prime — mystery writers who gather together to collectively write a murder mystery while being filmed for TV.
“It’s a spoof on all the different mystery genres we grew up reading or watching — a parody of every mystery plot, hero and villain,” director Laura Shriner said. “It’s great fun.”
The play starts out on a TV soundstage set and then moves to a deserted island home on which the set was based.
Laura Shriner and her husband Curt Shriner play Jessica and Whitney, a cosmopolitan couple who keep their martini supplies in a little red wagon they pull along everywhere they go.
Iris Lilly plays Mildred, a frumpy, logical but funny author, who brings along her knitting.
TJ Burzynski is Brad, a young one-hit wonder, who hopes to recover his mojo with the group.
Scott Freshman plays Rodney, the elder author whose imagination is not slowing down.
Jacqui, the nervous young TV producer, is portrayed by Laurie MacFarland Miller.
Other cast members include Stephanie Rose Bowsher, Tom Guerre, Jerry Vorhies, Jamie Miller, Donald Newton and Nadine Guerre-Grimm.
“All of them have good community theater experience and are just wonderful, fun people,” Laura Shriner said.
The director admits that she likes working with her husband, Curt Shriner, and their chemistry on stage is clear.
“Community theater is our escape from reality,” she said. “We want an audience who will join us for some fun. We hope they laugh a lot because that response brings out the best in our characters. It’s what we live and breathe for.”
Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.
Mystery farce
“Done to Death” runs through July 27 at the Historic Everett Theatre, 2911 Colby Avenue. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays and on Saturday, July 26. No show July 19. Ticket information (general admission is $12) available at www.historiceveretttheatre.org.
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