Shorecrest Performing Arts Presents “The Play That Goes Wrong"
Source/Author: Michael McCarthy, US Musical Theatre Teacher
November 22, 2024
Shorecrest Upper School Performing Arts presents “The Play That Goes Wrong (High School Edition)” on Thursday, November 21 and Friday, November 22 at 7pm in the Janet Root Theatre. First performed in 2021, the comedic murder mystery is appropriate for audiences ages 8 years and up.
In this play within a play, it is opening night of the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society’s production of the 1920s murder mystery “The Murder at Haversham Manor.” The thespians have seen success with previous plays, and the time has come to present this show––a play similar to Agatha Christie’s’ “The Mousetrap”––to you, the audience, whether they’re ready or not. Excitedly, Director Chris Bean welcomes the audience while the company is frantically making last minute changes to the set. They don’t have time to finish, but the play must go on! Character Charles Haversham is killed, and the murder mystery plot begins to progress, but not very smoothly. A plethora of calamities ensue, including disappearing props, missing actors, collapsing sets, forgotten and entirely flubbed lines, breaking character, and more. Throughout the mishaps and chaos on- and backstage, Inspector Carter tries to conduct an investigation on the death of Charles. The first act ends as the characters realize the murderer must still be in the manor. During the play intermission, the director tries to assure the cast that this isn’t the worst play in the history of ever––and they press forward to Act II. But the more the play progresses, the worse the acting gets.
What will be the big climax: the reveal of the murderer or how this acting troupe survives this performance?
General Admission seating will be $10.
“The Play That Goes Wrong (High School Edition)” by HENRY LEWIS, JONATHAN SAYER & HENRY SHIELDS
