Columbia Junior High’s drama students are putting in double time to get ready for the Feb. 3 opening night of “Murder at Aunt Agatha’s.” All the snow and ice last week interrupted the troupe’s rehearsals with school being closed, but co-director Hayley Rathburn says the show must go on. “They’re really buckling down and working hard,” she said of the cast members.
It was just five years ago that Rathburn was in eighth grade at Columbia Junior High performing in this play. Now, having graduated last year from Fife High School, she is back helping new students discover the joys of theater.
With fellow co-director Kimberly Lee, the two are leading the young acting students through seven weeks of rehearsals of “Murder at Aunt Agatha’s” – an all-original production written by longtime Fife drama instructors Dave and Teresa Hockman.
Rathburn described the zany plot of this very Agatha Christie-like play. “It’s set in an old, Humphrey Bogart-style detective movie where all these wacky family members come together because their Aunt Agatha just died. They’re all crazy people and all they want to know is who gets the money from her will.
“When they hear the reading of the will, they all find out they have to stay together in their aunt’s creepy house for one night, and whoever lasts the whole night gets the money. But they start dying off one by one and you don’t find out who the murderer is until the very end.”
The humor – and pace of the play – is nonstop. “It’s really hilarious and the kids are doing such a good job. They’ve embraced their roles really well. Even in auditions they had their characters in place. It was amazing.”
“Murder at Aunt Agatha’s” is performed by two alternate casts so that the maximum number of students can participate. “It’s such a good way to encourage kids to stick with drama. It’s not all about competition – everyone gets to do something.”
The cast of eccentric characters is guaranteed to get lots of laughs. There is crack detective Sam Club; an over-the-top hillbilly family from the sticks; an adorable nerd family who are so awkward; a movie star who thinks she is Meryl Streep, and her dopey agent who does her best to keep up with her; there is an obnoxious, bratty girl and her doting mom; an ex-convict who thinks he is a smooth ladies man when in fact he is actually ridiculous; two maids, brother and sister, but the boy cross-dresses in disguise as a girl so they can be twin sisters…. “Murder at Aunt Agatha’s” has all the makings of a genuinely enjoyable slapstick farce with a touch of film noir for atmosphere – and it is perfect for the whole family.
“Murder at Aunt Agatha’s” plays at the Columbia Junior High Performing Arts Center Feb. 3 at 7 p.m.; Feb. 4 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and Feb. 5 at 2 p.m. (Rathburn noted that Feb. 5 is also Super Bowl Sunday, but she said the play should be over in time for kickoff.) Tickets are $6 at the door. The play will also be recorded onto DVD for parents and others who wish to have a keepsake for relatives and friends – sign up and pay the nominal fee at the door. Concessions (beverages and light snacks) will also be for sale with proceeds benefitting the Columbia Junior High School Drama Department.
