Little Wolf High School play opens March 25
By Holly Neumann
The Little Wolf High School Drama Club, in connection with Concord Theatricals, will present “The Mousetrap.”
They play will be performed March 25–27 in the Little Wolf High School cafeteria.
Showtimes are 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, March 25-26; and 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 27. Admission is $5 at the door. There will be treats and a raffle to raise money for future productions.
“The Mousetrap” is based on the Agatha Christie murder mystery and follows the story of seven people trapped by a blizzard in a bed and breakfast-type guest house.
They learn of a nearby murder of a woman who caused the death of a child a decade ago. Soon, a police officer shows up, having skied through the storm, to inform them that the murderer left a cryptic note at the scene of the crime likening the victim to one of three blind mice, naming the guest house as the next intended target.
As the officer tries to figure out who might be the murderer, the group realizes it is one of them and that everyone in the house has a connection to the original crime.
Cast, crew
The cast includes Mya Stephens, Beau Otto, Jack O’Brien, Christopher Wren, Rebecca Gehrke, Ari Holsten, Lilly Rausch, Abby Peters and Noah Bortle.
“The cast was carefully selected based on talent, experience and dedication to the craft of theater,” director Carrie Gruman said. “In addition, four students are running the production through stage management, sound effects, lighting and microphone/soundboard.”
Crew members include Addie Bortle, Alexa Koratka, Alecia Weber and J Forseth.
The play is a challenge, as the school has not done a full-length, two-act play in several years, according to Gruman.
“After reigniting the theater program last year and producing three musicals, it was time for the challenge of a drama,” she said. “The students have stepped up to the challenge, working extremely hard at bringing this mystery to life.
“The audiences will enjoy trying to figure out the mystery as they come to learn the quirks and foibles of each character,” she added. “Agatha Christie is often called ‘the Queen of Mystery,’ having published 66 mystery novels and 16 short story collections. Her writing, though sometimes formulaic, is always entertaining, revealing the criminal in the very last scene, often with a huge plot twist.”
The show is not appropriate for young children.
“The Mousetrap” holds the record for the longest-running play in history, opening in London in 1952, and is still running today.
“I am extremely proud of the students involved in the fledgling drama program at Little Wolf High School and this cast in particular,” Gruman said. “They have more than met the expectations of this director with their hard work and dedication. I know that audiences will enjoy this classic play by one of the most famous writers of all time.”