Imps stage must-see 'Murders'

Joanne Dodds
PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN

Call your friends and relatives: The Impossible Players are doing a first-rate, world-class, you-must-not-miss-it play.

The title, "Musical Comedy Murders of 1940," is a turnoff but the play is wonderful.

First of all, it's not a musical. There are a couple of clever, written-for-this-performance lyrics, but that's all. Instead, it is an Agatha Christie-style mystery surrounded by a comedy. Every comic device from slapstick to tricky dialogue is used to perfection.

One of the stars of the performance is the stage design by David Massmann and Tom Massmann. On first glance it looks like a library in an old mansion. The books and chairs are just what you would expect. As the play progresses, you learn differently. Old mansions always have secrets.

The 12-member cast couldn't be better. Each character added a dollop of reality to each scene they were in. Added together, they were a tasty treat indeed. The reluctant hero (Paul Abeyta) early in the play explains to the heroine (Amber Gene Stupnik) that he is a comedian and comedians are not heroes. Naturally, the heroine is beautiful, and not what she claims to be. Together, they lead the others players through a story with more plot changes than a soap opera.

The mansion's hostess and patron of the arts (Mandie Victor) has invited everyone to her mansion on a dark and stormy night, complete with blizzards and lights that go out. She is delightfully batty. Her partner in crime is the Inspector (Dale Tate) who adds a bit of sanity to the crazy cast.

Normally I am not very fond of drunks, but Therese Simony as the tipsy writer was a hoot. She captured the self-absorbed theater personality to a T. Her lines are perfect. When the song writer (Steve Adams) says that he is not imitating Jerome Kern, she clarifies that is true but he is imitating others. She then does a short "who's who" of the 1940s musical comedy theater. Theater buffs will love the "gee I know that" moments throughout the play.

The director (Jeff Garman) had just come from Hollywood where he directed films that everyone claimed to have seen but hadn't. He was just as stuffed up with himself as one would expect.

The maid (Adelita Fierro) was at times charming, at times sexy, and often downright scary. She was a little hard to understand but you got the gist of her dialogue.

Every play has to have a producer (Trish Thompson) and rumor has it that more than one actor has wanted to kill this one -- hint, hint.

To round out the cast there was an Irishman (Jack Passanante, Jr.), whose play credits were mysteriously vague, and two phantoms (Dawn Thompson and Bill Wright).

It must be repeated that everyone made a real contribution to the success of the play.

The real directors of this delightful event were Tom Massmann and Kelley Buck-Adams. Whatever they are doing next, I want to come!

The remaining performances will be at 8 p.m. Saturday and Feb. 26-28. Call 542-6969 for reservations.