Review: CRISTI'S CASE CRACKERS: FATALITY AT THE PHOENIX FOOTBALL STADIUMS LUXURY BOX at Merrick Theatre

CASE CRACKERS recently wrapped up a limited run at the Merrick Theatre in Merrick, NY. What do you get when you take a group of mystery solvers and put them with a story reminiscent of an act on Saturday Night Live? You get their hilariously twisted production of CRISTI’S CASE CRACKERS: FATALITY AT THE PHOENIX FOOTBALL STADIUMS LUXURY BOX. Full of dark humor that is better suited for theatre-goers with a sweet spot for raunchy material. 

Written and Directed by Andrew Cristi, this show does not shy away from compromising situations and blue language. With popular music woven throughout to further the ever-intensifying plot, the audience was locked in from the start. 

Leading the cast with ease in the role of “Greyson,” was Zach Moore, of the New England Patriots. With this piece, Moore proved that in order to play a role well, you have to truly understand your character. “Greyson” is a football player going through what every athlete does towards the end of their time on the field. Who better to do that than a professional athlete? Through his performance, it was evident that Moore took time to connect with his fellow actors and gave the audience a performance they could truly be drawn into. 

Appearing as “Iselda,” wife of “Greyson,” was Keiandra Honeysucker. A magnificent storyteller, Honeysucker is precisely the actor necessary for this story. With a lot of moving parts and intricate details important for the structure of the story- she brought the perfect amount of focus and dedication to the piece. 

A true highlight of the night was when Jessica Johnson (appearing as Liza Magnetti) erupted into the classic “Liza with a Z.” Amongst the supporting cast, especially noteworthy performances came from Nicholas Bonaldi (“Xavier Arcobaleno”), Ana Ordoñez (“Solana Carambano”), and Tiana Himmel as (“Rainey Dinkfrisch”). All three performers have exceptional understanding of the genres of mystery and comedy, all tailor-made for any type of mystery piece from Agatha Christie to the live-action SCOOBY-DOO films. 

Rounding out the rest of the cast was Producer Carlos Leon as “Mercurio Brilla,” Brian Parks as “Duncan Zlovestny,” Matthew William as “Happy McConnelly,” Julie Woolsey as “Kiera Deravin” and Jonathan Bell as “Ercules/Detective Truman Jones.” 

Overall, if you’re looking for something fresh and exciting, CASE CRACKERS is the way to go. 

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