Rover Presents Murder at the Orient Burlesque, Opens Tonight

Rover Dramawerks is pleased to present the World Premiere of Murder at the Orient Burlesque by award-winning local playwright Carol M. Rice, opening on Thursday, May 19. Performances will be at the Cox Building Playhouse, 1517 H Avenue in Plano (next to the Courtyard Theater), continuing through June 11, with shows on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., and an additional matinee performance on Saturday, May 28 at 2:00 p.m.

When Russian princess Katherina Anastasia Faberge Antoinette (played by Alexis Nabors) joins the cast of the burlesque at Christie's Orient Palace, the trouble begins, so it's not a surprise when she turns up dead after only one performance. As Detective Red Flannegan (Bill Otstott) quickly discovers, everyone has a motive, and the Czarina was not only shot, but poisoned, stabbed, electrocuted and strangled. The question then becomes not who did it, but who did what, and is there anyone who didn't? A riotous comedy by Rover's Artistic Director and the author of our Around the World in 80 Days, the talented ensemble cast also includes Jon Christie, Nikki Cloer, Allegra Denes, Sahara Glasner-Boles, Sue Goodner, Rich Hancock, Dustina Reasons and Jonathan Winsor

Mikey Abrams directs and choreographs, with Monica Ruiz as Assistant Director/Stage Manager. Kimberly Corbett is set designer, Suzi Cranford is costume designer, and Steven Shayle Rhodes is hair/makeup designer. David Gibson is lighting designer and Laura Sosnowski is properties designer.

Murder at the Orient Burlesque is the fourth show in Rover Dramawerks' 11th Season. Tickets are $16.00 on Thursdays and matinees and $20.00 on Fridays and Saturdays and may be ordered online at www.roverdramawerks.com. Season ticket packages are also available. Thursday, May 19 is Preview Night, and all seats are "pay-what-you-can" at the door.

Season sponsors include the City of Plano, the City of Richardson, Plano Arts and Cultural Endowment, and Texas Commission on the Arts. For more information, please call 972-849-0358 or visit www.roverdramawerks.com.