Sherman Players Open Anthony Shaffer's WHODUNNIT This Weekend

On Friday, April 29, The Sherman Players will open Anthony Shaffer's comedy-thriller, WHODUNNIT as its first mainstage show for 2022. The curtain rises at 8:00 p.m. for a four week run.

In WHODUNNIT, a group of six strangers - and a butler - have gathered for a black-tie dinner in the English country mansion of a wealthy lawyer during a thunderstorm. One of the guests, identified only as an "oily Levantine," tells his fellow dinner guests that he has information with which to blackmail each and every one of them. This, of course, makes him ripe for murder...

Director Alexis M. Vournazos recalls, "After first reading Anthony Shaffer's entertaining comedy-thriller back in 1996, I knew right away that I wanted to audition. To have the good fortune then to be cast as Archibald Perkins, and now to direct the show these many moons later has been simply thrilling. I hope you enjoy this theatrical journey with my tremendous cast and crew."

"I am so happy we have the opportunity to produce WHODUNNIT as we had to postpone it due to the pandemic," says producer Lynn Nissenbaum. "What a joy it is to be presenting live theater again. The level of talent on the stage, both newcomers and familiar faces is unparalleled. The audience will be surprised and amused at various turns. I know I have been."

The cast of WHODUNNIT features Dean Alexander (New Fairfield), Gale Alexander (New Milford), Tina D'Amato (Yonkers NY), Brian DeToma (Danbury), Eric Greenfeld (Brookfield), Joe Harding (New Milford), Susan Howard (Wingdale NY), Chris Marker (Sherman), Kristi McKeever (Brookfield) and Thomas Samuels (Southbury).

Besides Mr. Vournazos and Ms. Nissenbaum, the crew consists of lighting designer Al Chiappetta, sound designer David White, costumers Sue Haneman and Terry Hawley, and stage manager Jenna Halse.

Originally titled 'The Case of the Oily Levantine,' WHODUNNIT opened on Broadway in 1982, New York Magazine called the play "A torrent of merriment ... heavy with excitement, crackles with repartee, rings the bell with epigrams, and detonates depth charges of laughter.... [with] enough riotous surprises to supply another mystery dramatist with a trunkful of plays."

WHODUNNIT runs April 29, 30, May 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21 at 8:00 p.m. on Fridays & Saturdays. There will be two 2:00 p.m. Sunday matinees on May 8 and 15. Tickets are $24 for adults and $12 for students. On Thursday, April 28, all patrons are invited to attend a "Half-Price Preview Night" at 8:00 p.m., where tickets are only $12. Students may see any performance for $12 if they carry a valid student ID.

Reservations can be made online at shermanplayers.org or by calling the box office at (860) 354-3622.

The Sherman Playhouse is a non-Equity theatre company located at 5 Route 39 North (next to the firehouse) in Sherman, CT.

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