Little Theatre Of Manchester's 2019 Season Opens With A Murder

The Little Theatre of Manchester (LTM) opens its 2019 season on February 1, 2019, with a murderously funny thriller set in William Gillette's Connecticut Castle, Ken Ludwig's THE GAME'S AFOOT.

In Ken Ludwig's THE GAME'S AFOOT fictitious murder comedy, Gillette has invited his fellow cast-members to his Connecticut castle for a weekend of revelry. But when one of the guests is stabbed to death, the festivities in this isolated house of tricks and mirrors quickly turn dangerous. Then it's up to Gillette himself, as he assumes the persona of his beloved Holmes to track down the killer before the next victim appears. In the vein of the best "whodunit" murder mysteries, Ken Ludwig's THE GAME'S AFOOT takes many twists and turns.

Ken Ludwig's THE GAME'S AFOOT is based on the real-life William Gillette, an American actor, playwright, and stage director who was most famous for his stage portrayal of Sherlock Holmes, appearing as the famous consulting detective in nearly 1,300 performances from 1899 to 1932. Gillette used his money made from playing Holmes to build a castle, which he named the Seventh Sister, on property fronting the Connecticut River in East Haddam, Connecticut.

Now one of Connecticut's largest tourist attractions, Gillette's iconic castle is a 3-story-plus-tower, 24-room, 14,000 square foot structure built of wood, cement, and local Connecticut field stone. Showcasing Gillette's sense of ingenuity and fun, the castle boasts several eccentricities including built-in couches, a heated bed, an early fire suppression system, a movable table on tracks, light switches made of carved wood, and 47 doors-each one different from the other and each featuring an intricate carved system of Steampunk-like latches.

LTM's production of THE GAME'S AFOOT is directed by Shane William Kegler. Mr. Kegler, a graduate from Eastern Connecticut State University, has directed numerous shows at LTM, including The 39 Steps and Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, and last season's Harvey. "I'm thrilled to be directing this show. THE GAME'S AFOOT is a very funny, absurd, physical show with great characters and outrageous moments. The show has something for everyone in the audience-comedy, intrigue, murder, and of course, Sherlock Holmes," states Mr. Kegler.

Ken Ludwig's THE GAME'S AFOOT will run February 1 to February 17 at Cheney Hall in Manchester, Connecticut. Tickets are available for purchase at www.cheneyhall.org or by calling the LTM box office at (860) 647-9824. On January 22, 2019, at noon, LTM will host a Lunchtime Lecture for the show.