Little Theatre Of Virginia Beach Opens 74th Season with Ken Ludwig's BASKERVILLE: A SHERLOCK HOLMES MYSTERY

September brings us the start of a new school year, the start of fall, and the start of the local theatre season. Little Theatre of Virginia Beach welcomes audiences to their 74th season with "Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery."

The play is a comedic take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's 1902 "The Hound of the Baskervilles." Holmes and his trusty sidekick Doctor Watson investigate a case involving the male heirs of the Baskerville line who are being murdered one by one. The real mystery isn't the plot though; it's how the cast of five pulls off portraying over 40 characters.

While Greg Dragas plays Holmes and Connor Norton plays Watson, Giuliana Mortimer, Peter Scheible, and Ben Harrison take on all of the remaining roles-- such as all of the Baskerville family members, Scotland Yard Inspector Lestrade, and the people of London. "It is really hard to make every single one unique and distinct," said Mortimer. "It does really help though that they're different ages, sometimes different genders, and different accents."

Their transformations are also made possible by quick costume and wig changes. As you can imagine, the costume volunteers have had little time to rest. Some of the quick changes involve tricks such as wearing layers of pants, shirts, or dresses, and in some cases, rip-a-way Velcro pieces. "There are times when one actor is on stage for just a 30 second walk-on as one character, and then must do a quick-change backstage and go on two minutes later as a completely different character," explains costume designer Kathy Hinson.

The character changes are not the only transformations you will notice if you haven't been to Little Theatre of Virginia Beach since before the pandemic. The parking lot is newly resurfaced, there are additional safety measures such as hand sanitizer stations, handrails and aisle footlights in the house, and the concession stand is now a bar. The theatre's new ABC license allows them to sell alcoholic beverages, including beer, wine, and mixed drinks. The adult drinks and non-alcoholic beverages can be ordered online during the ticket purchase, or at the theater, with proper identification for patrons age 21 and up. Audience members may enjoy their drinks during the show.

Little Theatre of Virginia Beach is joining performing arts organizations across the country with a unified COVID-19 policy. Patrons are required to present proof of full COVID-19 vaccination. Those who cannot be vaccinated due to a medical condition, closely-held religious belief, or children under age 12 are instead required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test administered by a medical professional (pharmacist, physician, etc.) in the past three days. Regardless of vaccination status, properly-worn face masks are also required unless actively eating or drinking. No one should enter the theatre who has a cough, trouble breathing, or a temperature of 100.4 or higher, or has been in contact with someone within the past 14 days who has been diagnosed or has presented symptoms of COVID-19. They may leave a voicemail with the box office at 757-428-9233 to exchange their tickets.

"Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery" runs weekends September 10 through September 26. Showtimes are Fridays at 8:00 pm, Saturdays at 2:30 pm and 8:00 pm, and Sundays at 2:30 pm. Tickets are available online at ltvb.com. They are $18 for adults, $15 for full-time students, active military, and seniors age 60 and up, or $7 for children age 12 and under. The best way to save is to purchase a season pass. The 3- and 5-pack passes are flexible, which means subscribers can use them in any combination they would like across the season's main-stage productions. The season passes are on sale now through September 26.