BWW Preview: Living Dangerously Brings Fame to Players in APA's DEATHTRAP

The Academy Playhouse (Academy of Performing Arts), a theater that has brought Cape Cod audiences an eclectic mix of productions that are always of the upmost professional quality, is taking a slight tangent from its recently closed holiday presentation of Sounds of the Season and delving into a play of a more murderous nature, also chock full of just enough laughs to make audiences question whether or not they should, in fact, notice the play's comedic side in light of the circumstances presented.

Written by Ira Levin, Deathtrap makes its way to the Academy stage and from the start captures audiences with the extreme witticism of its characters and the brooding sense of mystery and danger which the title of the play alone implies. Directed by Rich McKey who leads Levin's five characters through the midst of unrivaled mayhem, Deathtrap is a sure-fire way to not only have yet another enjoyable experience at the Playhouse, but also to be amazed, flabbergasted and just simply fooled silly by all that this show has in store.

Deathtrap focuses on five characters whose lives become intertwined due to the creation of a magnificent play that is bound to make its Broadway debut upon its release; with the name of "Deathtrap" by which to guide its success, thus is the exciting basis of Levin's play. Playwright Sidney Bruhl, whose knack for writing theatrical successes is at present quite elusive, is sent a play of this title by one Clifford Anderson, a student who attend Bruhl's recently conducted seminar. Bruhl believes the play will be an undoubted triumph upon the stage, and when he tells his wife Myra of his sheer disappointment about not being the proud creator of such a work, it is suggested (in jest) that if only killing the young playwright (and a novice at that) were a viable option, Sidney could pass the play off as his own. What ensues from that moment onward is pure bliss to those who relish a good story complete with some of the sometimes expected, sometimes completely baffling twists and turns a plot can offer. Even so saying, this plays less about the mystery and more about reaching an end that neither audience nor characters may think they are privy to. In order to recreate the story that was so beautiful on paper, Levin takes us into a world of deceit, conniving and Dutch psychics that the Academy is hereby proud to present as its next thrilling production.

Deathtrap opens at the Academy Playhouse (located at 120 Main Street in Orleans) tonight, January 14th and will run thru February 14th. Tickets are $24 and may be purchased either in person at the box office, by calling (508) 255-1963 or by visiting www.apacape.org. Also be on the lookout for the much anticipated musical to follow, The Wizard of Oz, which begins performances towards the end of February.

Enjoy the show!