Evolution Theatre Presents THE VULTURES, May 22 - June 1

In the vein of And Then There Were None, Clue and Murder by Death, The Vultures puts a modern, comedic, gay spin on the haunted house/mystery genre.

The story takes place at Westmount Estate, on the 20th anniversary of the death of publishing magnate Simon West. As his six remaining relatives gather for the reading of his will, the mysterious housekeeper declares, "The relatives are swooping in like a wake of vultures ready to pick the carcass clean."

When the will is read, Hunter West is named as the sole heir, on the condition that he doesn't suffer from an insanity curse that has plagued the family. As the night progresses and the storm rages, Hunter's sanity comes into question and one of the group goes missing.

Who will ultimately inherit the fortune? Will it be the charming realtor, the handsome male model, the dimwitted nail technician, the bitter old woman, the gay hairdresser, or the mild-mannered accountant? Throw in a priceless pocket watch, an androgynous housekeeper, an escaped mental patient, and a pair of reunited lovers and the result is murder, with a hefty dose of laughs.

The winner of the 2018 Jewel Box Theatre Original Play Contest, The Vultures is a modern-day adaptation of two classic works, The Cat and the Canary by John Willard and The Bat by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood. These plays, which are both in the public domain, have delighted audiences for nearly one hundred years and were ripe for an update and re-working.

The Vultures will be performed May 22-June 1 at the Columbus Performing Arts Center's Van Fleet Theatre (549 Franklin Ave., Columbus, OH 43215). Tickets are $15-$25 and available for purchase online at www.evolutiontheatre.org or by calling 614-233-1124.

Evolution Theatre Company is celebrating its premiere season as a small professional equity theatre, one of three equity theatres in Columbus. The 2019 season will also feature The View Upstairs (July 17-27), Who Killed Joan Crawford? (August 21-31), Cabaret (September 18-28), and The Turkey Men (October 16-26). For further information, call or text 614-233-1124 or visit www.evolutiontheatre.org.