Review: Lots of Fun with Miss Marple in Desert Theatreworks' Mystery Drawing Room Comedy

For fans of cozy mysteries loaded with laughs, oy do I have a treat for you - Desert Theatreworks' (DTW's) A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED, adapted by Leslie Darbon from the Agatha Christie novel. The plot (in both senses of the word) reveals the clues in a straight-forward manner, which gives the audience a reasonable chance of solving the whodunit. The writing isn't exactly Noel Coward or Oscar Wilde, but the production's excellence provides a rollicking good time, and more than makes up for any weaknesses in the script.

This is Desert Theatreworks' fourth season, and it has been tackling not only increasingly difficult plays, but most of the acting has reached professional quality; artistic director Lance Phillips-Martinez previously told Broadway World about how he works to educate actors as he directs them. Mr. Phillips-Martinez, a former Fosse dancer, has also been enriching its productions with superb stage movement, and the productions' lighting, sound, and sets are growing in sophistication.

The hard work has paid off in A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED, a production rich in detail, whose laughs come only partially from the script, and the rest from the actors' fine performances and Mr. Phillips-Martinez's direction.

Six DTW regulars appear in A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED, and, as usual, turn in superb performances. They are Marjory Lewis, who plays the generous and dignified potential victim; June August, amateur sleuth Miss Marple; Jason Lewis, Marjory Lewis's real-life husband, the inspector whom Miss Marple sets out to help, whether he wants the assistance or not; Rebecca Hertzgaard, the frustrated mother of a son who has grown into a sullen playboy; Brianna Eylicio, a young widow with secrets, and Phylicia Mason, one of the potential victims' long-term house guests. (Another DTW veteran, Luke Rainey, has such a tiny role that even his loved ones might miss his appearance).

The actors new to DTW's main stage, some of whom are familiar to Coachella Valley audiences for their work in other local theatres, also turn in fine performances. Alex Updike has great chemistry with Ms. Mason, who plays his sister. Adrian Esqueda's slouch and scowl as Ms. Hertzgaard's freeloading son are perfect. Heidi Hapner, as a temperamental Eastern European cook, was an audience favorite at the performance I attended. John-Alex Houlton, the police sergeant, is a master of deadpan; he generates laughs just by standing in one place. Mr. Houlton also serves as dialect coach, along with Borie Petrovay, to great success.

Special kudos go to a larcenous DTW newcomer, meaning that she threatens to steal the show. Renee Poignard, whose facial expressions and physical acting remind me of Lucille Ball's, demonstrates disdain just by popping her eyes into huge saucers. She is a fabulous addition to the DTW team. I'd love to see her stomping grapes for wine or wrapping candy in a factory, or reenacting any of Lucy's other classic scenes.

One of the things that makes this production of A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED such a success is director Lance Phillips-Martinez's ability to generate laughs out of otherwise mundane blocking and stage business. The two police officers' crime investigation, using a cane as an analysis tool, is just one example. Pay special attention to an imaginative aside in which a spotlit Mr. Houlton pulls implements out of a basket marked "evidence." Clue: Others besides mystery buffs should be able to recognize the hilarious visual reference in the short interlude.

A major benefit of the increased sophistication of DTW's productions is the ability to attract additional offstage talent, freeing Lance and Ron Phillips-Martinez (Lance's husband, and DTWorks' producer and CEO), to concentrate on specific areas, instead of having to be jacks of all trades. In this production, Bruce Weber's set design and Claudia Gomez's and Luke Rainey's prop design are filled with details that help evoke the late 1940's English setting. Phil Murphy, known to area audiences for his top-notch work at the Desert Rose Playhouse, is DTW's new resident lighting designer. His work in A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED helps spotlight the clues for the audience. (Yes, I know that the previous sentence contains a groaner). Tanner Lieser's audio design provides spooky atmospheric music as well as sounds to emphasize important information imparted by the characters. Ron Phillips-Martinez's costume design is wonderful. I especially love the high-heeled, lace-up shoes that I remember 80-year-old women wearing in the 1950's. Priscilla Lawson's hair and makeup design also do much to evoke the post-war era.

I highly recommend A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED, for audiences of any age. It will run through November 13, 2016. Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm, and Saturdays and Sundays at 2pm. I suggest reserving seats as soon as possible; apparently, tickets have been moving briskly. In my opinion, the show deserves to sell out.

All of DTW's performances take place at the Arthur Newman Theatre, in the Joslyn Senior Center, 73-750 Catalina Way, Palm Desert CA, 92260. Tickets can be purchased online at www.dtworks.org, in person at the Joslyn Center, and by phone at 760-980-1455. General admission is $28, senior admission (ages 55+) is $26, and student admission (with i.d.) is $15. Season tickets for three shows are $72, and for five shows are $120. A package of six flex tickets, which can be used for any show during the season, up to a total of six tickets per package, are $144. Tickets for groups of 8-19 attendees are $22 each. Tickets for groups of twenty or more are $19 each. For further information, call the box office at 760-980-1455.

The rest of DTW's 2016-17 season consists of:

CHRISTMAS MY WAY: A SINATRA HOLIDAY BASH (December 9-18, 2016)
40 swingin' hits for the holidays.

45 SECONDS FROM BROADWAY, by Neil Simon (January 27 to February 5, 2017)
The coffee shop at the Edison Hotel is literally about 45 seconds from Broadway, but it seems likes miles for the employees looking for their big break.

THE DROWSY CHAPERONE (March 9-19, 2017)
A theatre fan listening to the cast album of a 1920's Broadway musical finds himself in the middle of the story and becomes involved in the show's shenanigans.

NEXT TO NORMAL (April 21-30, 2017)
The musical about the perfect family - or not - that won the Pulitzer Prize and three Tony awards.

For information on DTW's educational programs, including KidsWorks, an upcoming, tuition-free program for those under 18, see www.dtworks.org. A Broadway World article on KidsWorks can be found at www.broadwayworld.com/palm-springs/article/BWW-Feature-Desert-Theatreworks-Plans-KidsWorks-a-Training-Program-for-Children-20160823.

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