Don’t miss ‘The Bold, The Young, and The Murdered’

BY: ANN MIRE/CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Acadia Players held the first of three performances of “The Bold, The Young, and The Murdered” on Saturday, Aug. 2, at Chef Roy’s Frog City Café in Rayne.

The murder mystery includes  dinner, and although there is much drama with the murders, there is definitely a comedic flavor to the play. Prior to its start, audience members must take a pledge of secrecy not to reveal the ending.

The play occurs during the filming of a soap opera. However, it is soon apparent that the cast in real life is experiencing its own soap opera, only theirs is a deadly one with members of the cast being murdered.

The executive producer (Lynne Broussard) of the soap opera has warned the cast that the show is in danger of being cancelled by the network. She locks everyone into the studio to assure that filming is completed quickly or else all of them would be fired.

The subtle language and innuendoes of death threats within the opening lines between the cast are a foreshadowing of the murders that follow in fairly rapid order. The first to be murdered is the show’s director (Michaela Jabusch). It was pretty clear that most of the soap opera cast had a reason to murder her. There is much argument over her dead body. The assistant director (Amanda Caldwell) is adamant that the show must go on with filming, while one of the actors Morris (Randy LaCombe) is determined that the murder be investigated immediately.

As the director’s body is moved offstage, the assistant director now becomes the director and the overeager intern Keri (Sidney Gilder) moves into the position of assistant director. The soap opera continues to play out among the cast as filming proceeds. However, it isn’t long before another murder occurs; Lily (Allyson Hetzel) is stabbed to death.

Again Jake is insistent that an investigation be conducted. The others are now more willing to move on with the filming. Ever the overachiever, Keri admits that she can take Lily’s role since she has learned all the lines.

In the middle of the filming, Tyler (Chris Pridgeon) is trying to make phone calls to shore up a role in the movies. He is ready to move on from TV soaps to the big screen. Before long, a third murder is committed when Bill (Luke Arsement) dies from a gunshot wound. Before the end of the first act, the fourth murder victim, Cybil (Tina Reaux), is poisoned during the filming of a scene.

This first act wonderfully establishes that a murderer is knocking off cast members one by one. At various times, suspicions are aroused for each of the cast members.

During the intermission, the audience was given a card on which to write who they think committed the murders along with a motive. From those who correctly chose the murderer, a name was picked to receive a prize.

During the second act, Amy (Tiffany Reed) reveals herself to be an FBI agent. The cast makes accusations regarding each surviving member. Excuses, alibis and motives are given to help determine who may be the murderer. Suspects range from long-time cast member John (Zack Thibodeaux) to the newly arrived intern Keri.

Overall, this play was very well staged, and as playgoers have come to expect, the Acadia Players gave excellent performances.

Normally, the ticket seller at events, Lynne Broussard made her stage debut and gave a credible performance as the executive producer of “The Bold and The Young” soap opera. In his role as the overbearing actor John Burke, Zack Thibodeaux performed with an obvious relish as his character was always demanding his soup. Randy LaCombe’s sincerity in his desire to investigate the murders was in stark contrast to Sidney Gilder’s eagerness to continue moving forward with the filming and her career. In playing his role to the hilt, Chirs Pridgeon provided much of the comedic dialogue in this play.

A special hand-clap goes out to the stage manager, backstage crew and sound and light people for successfully carrying out most of their duties within sight of the audience. Under the direction of Shawn Murphy LaCroix, the audience was provided a delightful evening, filled with comedy and intrigue for theatregoers.

There will be two other opportunities to experience the murder mystery dinner theater of the Acadia Players: Aug. 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the Crowley Town Club and Aug. 23 at 6:30 p.m. at Chef Roy’s. Ticket prices are $30 for the meal/performance. Available at the Town Club, Chef Roy’s, and www.theacadiaplayers.com, tickets must be purchased prior to the shows since none will not be available at the door.