'The Game's Afoot' to close curtain on Playhouse season

The 54th season of Putnam County Playhouse will close with a production of Ken Ludwig's mystery-comedy "The Game's Afoot" beginning Thursday night on the Hazel Day Longden Theatre stage off Round Barn Road on Greencasle's East Side.

In a play within a play, the opening scene of the mystery-comedy "The Game's Afoot" finds the actors performing a scene from the drama "Sherlock Holmes" as Felix/Prof. Moriarity (played by Tim Good) threatens (from left) Madge/Marian (played by Caroline Good), William Gillette/Sherlock Holmes (Jack Randall Earles) and Simon/Count Zerlinski (TJ Tincher). The season-ending Putnam County Playhouse production opens Thursday with subsequent 8 p.m. shows Friday and Saturday and again Sept. 16-19 at the Hazel Day Longden Theatre. Banner Graphic/ERIC BERNSEE

It will be presented Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Sept. 10-12 and again Sept. 16-19. All performances begin at 8 p.m.

Tickets are $10 each and may be reserved by phoning the box office at 653-5880. Box office hours are 5-7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

The production is being sponsored by Shuee's Furniture and Mattress.

As the play begins, actor William Gillette (Jack Randall Earles) and his cast are seen onstage in a performance of his play "Sherlock Holmes."

A mysterious event at their curtain call sets up the rest of "The Game's Afoot" to take place during a holiday celebration in Gillette's home. He takes his role as Holmes to heart and tries to solve a real-life murder himself.

Among Gillette's fellow actors are a married team Madge (Caroline Good) and Felix (Tim Good) and a younger duo Simon (TJ Tincher) and Aggie (Anna Harris).

Added to the mix are Gillette's feisty mother Martha (Vickie Parker), a nosy gossip columnist Daria (Karen Temple), and the local police inspector Harriet Goring (Madison King) who takes it upon herself to join Gillette's investigation.

Directing "The Game's Afoot" is Dustin Bond with assistant director Jim Green.

The set is by Linda Gjesvold. Bond also designed the lights and sound for the production.

Jessica Masner serves as production stage manager. Brandon and Cameron Wunderlich are on the stage crew.

Running the light board is Melissa Green with Hillary Johnson running the sound board.

Costumes are by Shelly McFadden.