Dorset Theatre Festival to Stage Katie Forgette's SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE CASE OF THE JERSEY LILY

Dorset Theatre Festival will stage Katie Forgette's Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Jersey Lily, a delightfully funny and exciting take on the famous detective story that weaves together threads of history and literature including the great Sherlock Holmes himself, his trusted friend Watson, the sinister Moriarty, the glamorous Lillie Langtry, and even Oscar Wilde. The production will be directed by Margarett Perry and will run from July 9th through the 25th. "There is a reason that Sherlock is such a popular figure in literature as well as on stage and in film," says Artistic Director Dina Janis. "These mysteries are engaging throughout and always very satisfying. This piece in particular is so clever and entertaining." The Case of the Jersey Lily places literature's favorite genius detective right in the middle of a blackmail scheme that connects the famous actress Lillie Langtry, celebrated playwright Oscar Wilde (just finishing work on his new play, The Importance of Being Forthright), criminal mastermind James Moriarty and Queen Victoria herself.

Playing the role of Sherlock Holmes will be Kirk Jackson, last seen at DTF in Deathtrap. He has appeared on Broadway in Terrence McNally's Love! Valour! Compassion! and off-Broadway at the New York Theatre Workshop in Doug Wright's Quills. He is a Bennington College faculty member. Dr. John Watson will be played by Christopher Edwards, who has performed across the United States and internationally at theatres including The Guthrie, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Cleveland Playhouse and the Atlantic Theatre. He is the Artistic Director of Nevada Conservatory Theatre at UNLV. Lillie Langtry will be played by Jennifer Rohn, who has appeared at DTF in Superior Donuts, Sherry Kramer's When Something Wonderful Ends and the staged reading of The Bay of Fundy. She has also appeared on Broadway in The Kentucky Cycle and The Crucible. She is a Bennington College faculty member.

Oliver Wadsworth will portray Oscar Wilde. He is familiar to regional audiences for his performances in Take Me Out and The Taming of the Shrew at Capital Rep and the DTF productions of Noises Off and Murder on the Nile. He has also appeared in Peter and the Starcatcher at Pioneer Theatre Company. Brian Dykstra, a DTF favorite for his role in Good People, will play the devious Moriarty. Dykstra, an HBO Def Poet, can also be seen at DTF later this summer in his one-man show Brian Dykstra Selling Out. He has recently appeared on Broadway opposite Tom Hanks in Nora Ephron's Lucky Guy. Also starring in this production are Carlos Dengler (as John Smythe/Abdul Karim), a recent graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and founding member of the alt-rock band Interpol, and Dana Berger (as Mrs. Tory/ Mrs. McGlynn) who has appeared in Seminar at the Kitchen Theatre and in a recurring role on CBS's Elementary.

Playwright Katie Forgette is also known for her plays The O'Conner Girls, which had its World Premiere at Seattle Rep, and A Facility for Living, which had its premiere at ACT Theatre in 2013.

Director Margarett Perry is an award-winning director of new plays. She has directed numerous off-Broadway premieres and developed plays with Barrow Street, The Atlantic Theatre, and The Public Theatre, among others. She is the Resident Director at The Kitchen Theatre, where she has directed Sunset Baby, Seminar and Private Lives. The design team includes Debra Booth, scenic design; David Toser, costume design; Michael Giannitti, lighting design; and Jane Shaw, sound design. Sherlock Holmes Production Sponsors are The Dorset Inn and Barrows House Inn. Individual sponsors are Ann and Rick Jackson. Season Sponsor is Manchester Designer Outlets.

Special Event programming for this production includes a post-show talk-back with the cast and creative team following the matinee on July 11th, as well as a talk by Sally Sugarman of the Baker Street Irregulars Society entitled Sherlock Holmes: The Great Detective. Co-sponsored by the Green Mountain Academy for Lifelong Learning, this talk will discuss the reasons why Sherlock lives beyond the pages to inspire poetry, scholarship and countless adaptations. It will take place at the Manchester Community Library on July 21st from 5:30 - 7:00 pm. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Also scheduled is a special event "Get Your Play On" for local Young Professionals which will feature special discounted tickets and cafe fare including microbrewery beer for members of Young Professionals organizations throughout the region, on July 18th.

Ticket prices range from $20- $49 for adults. Student tickets are $20 and youth (12 and under) pay only $8 for any performance. Save up to 15% over single ticket prices by purchasing a subscription for the Summer 2015 Season. For more information and details about these and other special events at the Playhouse, call 802-867-2223 or visit dorsettheatrefestival.org.

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