The Belfry Theatre presents THE GAME'S AFOOT (Holmes for the Holidays) by Ken Ludwig Directed by Eric Matters November 27 – December 13, 2020 1 Ken Ludwig’s The Game’s Afoot is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com Originally Produced by Cleveland Play House; Michael Bloom, Artistic Director; Kevin Moore, Managing Director The videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited. The Belfry is a proud member of the Encore Association. Visit www.encoreassociation.net for more information. @belfrytheatreIN Like us on Facebook The Belfry’s mission is to create interest and participation in community theater by providing quality, entertaining theatrical productions. Our vision is to be recognized as a preeminent community asset in Central Indiana by providing quality theatrical productions in a collaborative, welcoming, and intimate atmosphere. President’s Note Thank you to all our patrons, performers, volunteers, staff, and board members for the continued support and devotion to the Belfry. While we are experiencing new circumstances in our lives, it is comforting to know that the passion for the Belfry persists. The Belfry is so happy you are joining us for the first show of the season, The Game’s Afoot: Holmes for the Holidays. You will notice that our surroundings are different this season. The Belfry cannot thank the Noblesville First United Methodist Church enough for allowing us to use their facility. The facility of First United Methodist provides us an excellent venue to safely produce shows and is a safe environment for patrons. For this, we are extremely grateful. Again, thank you for joining us for The Game’s Afoot: Holmes for the Holidays. We are confident this production will infuse humor, wit, and good cheer into your holiday spirit. The cast and crew have worked extremely hard. We at the Belfry hope you continue to be safe and healthy during this holiday season. As always, please consider contributing to the Belfry. Season tickets, flex passes, and individual show tickets make excellent holiday gifts. We look forward to seeing you during this 2020-2021 season. Sincerely, Kyle Blowers President, Belfry Theatre Administrative Board 2 The Belfry Theatre Administrative Board of Directors Kyle Blowers, President Anne Auwaerter Dan Stevens, Vice President Edd Booher Casey Arnold, Treasurer Karyn Hobbs Bob Crandall, Secretary Fran Knapp Betsy Reason Teresa Peil Support The Belfry Scholarship Fund! No refreshments will be sold at this production. However, if you would like to donate toward The Belfry’s annual Youth Scholarship, there is a basket in the lobby. Cash and personal checks are welcome. The scholarship is awarded annually to a Hamilton County graduating high school senior planning to study the arts. Director’s Note This show is a murder mystery with a touch of humor, which is fitting because whether we can perform live theater has been a mystery, and we’ve all needed a laugh this year. I’ve been involved in community theater in some capacity for as long as I can remember, and I have seen many shows and thought “I would have done something different there.” Well, this is my chance. I’m sure there are others who would do things differently than I have, and that’s a good thing. I hope to inspire someone else’s creativity so maybe they’ll go on to create something new. This is my first time directing, and even now, there are things I would do differently from what I have presented here. I hope to get that opportunity in the future, but the future (like this show) is a mystery. Directing a mystery is hard. Especially one as well-crafted as the one Ken Ludwig has provided us here. Balancing tense moments with more light-hearted fare is important and difficult. Too heavy handed and you give the end away. Too light, and the mystery doesn’t matter. I truly believe this cast has done a masterful job of doing just that. They understand when they need to frown and when they need to smile. As a first-time director, working with such a talented and fun group has been a dream. So, sit back and see if you can figure out the mystery, but remember to laugh at times. I’d hate for something “untoward” to happen… Eric Matters, Director 3 About the Playwright Ken Ludwig has had six shows on Broadway and seven in London's West End, and many of his works have become a standard part of the American repertoire. Lend Me a Tenor won two Tony Awards and was called “one of the classic comedies of the 20th century” by The Washington Post. Crazy For You was on Broadway for five years and won the Tony and Olivier Awards for Best Musical. In addition, he has won two Olivier Awards (England’s highest theater honor), the Helen Hayes Award, the Edgar Award for Best Mystery of the Year, and the Edwin Forrest Award for Contributions to the American Theater. His other plays include Moon Over Buffalo (starring Carol Burnett), Twentieth Century (starring Alec Baldwin), Be My Baby (starring Hal Holbrook), Baskerville, A Comedy of Tenors, Shakespeare in Hollywood, A Fox on the Fairway, Leading Ladies, and a stage version of Murder on the Orient Express written expressly at the request of the Agatha Christie Estate. His newest play, Dear Jack, Dear Louise, which tells the story of his parent’s courtship during World War II, premiered at Arena Stage in fall 2019. His book How To Teach Your Children Shakespeare, published by Penguin Random House, won the Falstaff Award for Best Shakespeare Book of the Year, and his essays are published by the Yale Review. His work has been performed in over 30 countries in more than 20 languages, and his plays are produced throughout the United States every night of the year. www.kenludwig.com CAST WILLIAM GILLETTE/ SHERLOCK HOLMES …………………………………………...R.C. Thorne FELIX GEISEL/ MORIARTY …………………………………………………………Mike Sosnowski SIMON BRIGHT/ COUNT ZERLINKSY ……………………………………………….Gideon Roark INSPECTOR HARRIET GORING ………………………………………………………...Fran Knapp MARTHA GILLETTE ……………………………………………………………...Jennifer Kaufmann MADGE GEISEL/ MARIAN …………………………………………………………Stephani McDole AGGIE WHEELER/ ALICE ……………………………………………………………...Lizzie Schultz DARIA CHASE ……………………………………………………………………………...Tonya Rave PRODUCTION TEAM PRODUCER …………………………………………………………………………...Ka'Lena Cuevas DIRECTOR ………………………………………………………………………………….Eric Matters ASSISTANT DIRECTOR ………………………………………………………………...Diane Wilson STAGE MANAGER ………………………………………………………………..James H. Williams LIGHT DESIGNER ………………………………………………………………………….Brian Coon LIGHT OPERATOR ……………………………………………………………………….Kara Jacobs SOUND DESIGNER ……………………………………………………………………….Geoff Lynch 2 SOUND OPERATOR ………………………………………………………………………..Eric Dixon SET DESIGNER ……………………………………………………………………………Eric Matters SET CONSTRUCTION …………………………………………………………………….Ted Jacobs SCENIC DESIGN ………………………………………………………………………………..ML Lich SET PAINTER ………………………………………………………………………Melissa Yurechko COSTUMES ……………………………………………………………………………….Addie Taylor PROPERTIES …………………………………………………………………………..Kathy Hoefgen DIALECT COACH ……………………………………………………………………….Frankie Bolda HAIR/MAKEUP ……………………………………………………………………………..Monya Wolf STAGE CREW …Jake Hobbs, Anne Auwaerter, Diane Reed, Christine Early, Bob Hammett SPECIAL THANKS Noblesville First United Methodist Church Ricks-Weil Theatre Co., Greenfield Jeff Wright Beth & Dave Scott Carol Darling Indianapolis Opera Alivia Pavich Michelle Sybesma Brandon Ridge Melissa Bowyer Jerry Rairdon Footlite Musicals Betsy Reason Laurie Dyer Carla Crandall T&T Sales and Promotions Kathy Hoefgen Erin Keller SETTING The living room of the mansion of William Gillette on the Connecticut River near East Haddam, Connecticut. TIME December 1936 ACT ONE Scene 1: December 1895 Scene 2: Christmas Eve, 1936 Scene 3: An hour later 3 ACT TWO Scene 1: Same time Scene 2: About 5 minutes later There will be one 15-minute intermission. No concessions will be sold. PRODUCTION TEAM KA’LENA CUEVAS (Producer) Ka’Lena has been involved in Indianapolis community theatre since 2016 and currently serves on the board for Main Street Productions/Westfield Playhouse. Favorite past performances at the Westfield Playhouse include Social Security, Going Going Gone, and Picnic. Ka’Lena most recently produced and stage managed Lie, Cheat, and Genuflect at the Westfield Playhouse, for which she won an Encore Award in both categories. Ka’Lena has also been a part of the creative team for various community theatre productions as a producer, stage manager, and properties person. This is the third show she has had the pleasure of producing at The Belfry. Many thanks to the cast and crew for working hard to finish their commitment to this show and their help orchestrating this production. A shout-out to Jeff Wright and the team at the Noblesville First United Methodist Church for their assistance and generosity. And many thanks to YOU for supporting community theatre. Enjoy the show! ERIC MATTERS (Director, Set Designer) Eric Matters is elated to be making his directorial debut at The Belfry Theatre. He has been in and around the theater community in Indianapolis for a while; he is happy to be expanding his skill set and creating art yet again. He would like to thank the cast and production staff for putting up with his craziness. He would also like to thank his family and friends supporting him on this journey. 2 DIANE WILSON (Assistant Director) Diane is excited to return to the Belfry for a third time in a “behind the scenes” role, having been an assistant director and stage manager for Side-by-Side by Sondheim and assistant director for Marvin’s Room. In 2018, after a nearly 25-year hiatus, Diane returned to the stage in Our Town (Mrs. Soames) and was seen most recently in A Christmas Carol (clown and scavenger). She also appeared in Red, White, and Tuna (various roles) in 2019. Non-Belfry roles include We Must Kill Toni (Toni); Love, Sex, & the IRS (Connie); The Tunnel of Love (Alice); Pippin (Player); The Matchmaker (Director); Oklahoma! (Director and choreographer), and The Sound of Music (choreographer). By day, Diane is a travel consultant and owner of W & W Destinations. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her family, as well as reading, writing, and attending theatre.