The eerie silence that is clinging in the air at the Jenkin and Barbara David Theater is about to come to a sudden halt.
Replacing the muteness of the stage will be voices of various students trying to outshine each other in a four-person slot game in the theatre department’s Fall 2013 play “Art of Murder” by Joe DiPietro. Play auditions were held Tuesday, Aug. 27, and Wednesday, Aug. 28.
No monologues or prepared scenes were needed during the auditions because selected scenes from the script were picked out for cold audition readings. After filling out the audition forms, the hopeful theatrical lovers took the stage and gave their best performances.
Conferring with the back of the script, the dramatics describe the “Art of Murder” as a play that is both thrilling and suspenseful. The play is a murder mystery, but is heavily laid with comedy.
“In a remote estate in Connecticut, Jack Brooks, an eccentric painter, awaits the imminent arrival of his art dealer,” according to the script. “But the visit is not a standard one, for Jack feels wronged, and he is intending to kill the man. As Jack lays out his intentions for the evening, his wife, Annie, calmly paints. She is reluctant to go along with the plan, until Jack’s threat of violence convinces her otherwise. Vincent, Jack’s art dealer, arrives. Will Jack carry out his plan? Will Annie help him? Or is something else going on?”
The “Art of Murder” has only four cast members, which considering Park University’s past plays, is a rather small cast. However, that didn’t hold anyone back from coming and auditioning. Many people also volunteered to be part of the crew as well.
This play should be nothing like anything Park has done in the past, according to Dr. Andrea Southard, theatre department professor. “I think everyone will enjoy the show,” she said. “And in my mind I love mysteries. We like to find out the answer to the unknown.”
The play will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday, Oct. 25, and Saturday, Oct. 26, and Friday, Nov. 1, and Saturday, Nov. 2. A matinee performance will be held from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3.
All performances will be held at the Jenkin and Barbara David Theater, located inside of Alumni Hall at the Parkville campus.
Admission to the show is free or all Park University students with their Park ID; $10 for the general public; $8 for senior citizens age 60 and older and Park faculty/staff; and $5 for non-Park students and children younger than 13.
Tickets can be reserved by calling 816-584-6450 or purchased at the box office beginning one hour before performance time.
