[NEohioPAL] Actors' Summit Inaugurates New Home with Mark Twain Musical

[Neil Thackaberry]

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*Actors’ Summit*

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*Grand Opening at Greystone Hall*

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*Regional Premiere of Mark Twain’s *

*A Murder, a Mystery, and a Marriage*

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Actors’ Summit, Akron’s professional theater, will inaugurate its new home
in historic Greystone Hall (formerly the Masonic Temple) with the regional
premiere of *A Murder, a Mystery, and a Marriage*.  Based on a story by Mark
Twain, the show features book and lyrics by Aaron Posner and music by James
Sugg.  The country musical will have a preview performance on Thursday,
October 14, followed by the official opening on Friday, October 15.  The
play will run Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 8:00 PM and Sunday
afternoons at 2:00 PM through November 7 at the theater on the 6th floor of
Greystone Hall in downtown Akron.



*About the Play*

Mark Twain’s signature wit, loving irreverence for his characters, and sheer
exuberance drives the comedy in *A Murder, a Mystery & a Marriage.*

Mary Gray is the prettiest girl in Deer Lick, Missouri, and shy Hugh Gregory
loves her as much as she loves him. Sally, Mary’s mother, is happy for her
daughter and convinces Mary’s father, John, that Hugh is perfect for Mary.
Unfortunately, John does not get along with his rich brother David, and on
the eve of the wedding, David reveals that he is leaving his entire fortune
to Mary in his will—on the condition that she never marry Hugh! No sooner is
the ink dry than David is found dead. Who done it? Was John trying to hurry
his daughter’s inheritance? Could Hugh have killed David for straining his
relationship with Mary? What about the mysterious stranger claiming to be a
Count from Kansas? The sheriff believes Hugh is the killer and the poor boy
is convicted and sentenced to hang. But it is, of course, the stranger who
done it, and he woos Mary while Hugh waits in vain for a pardon from the
governor. The counterfeit Count finally wins Mary’s hand, but on the day of
the wedding, Mary—kept in the dark by the dastardly Count and her
well-meaning parents—learns that Hugh is to be hanged that same day!
Accompanied by the whole town, she runs to the jail, and with some detection
that’s more Dr. Watson than Sherlock Holmes, Mary figures out that the
stranger is the killer. The Kansas Count is arrested, and Hugh and Mary are
free to wed.

Critics have commented that the show is “a rapturous celebration of country
folk and folkways.” —Washington Post.  Talkin’ Broadway called the show “…a
high-spirited evening for the entire family…a bouncy bluegrass score.”

*The Performers*

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*Keith E. Stevens** is an Equity actor and a lifetime member of the Actors’
Studio in New York. A graduate of Cleveland State University, Keith holds an
MFA from New School/Actors Studio Drama School. Recently, at Actors’ Summit,
Keith has appeared in I Love a Piano, Last Train to Nibroc, For
Better, and Don’t
Hug Me.*

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*Ryan Anderson* is performing with Actors’ Summit for the first time.  Some
of his favorite roles  include MacHeath in *Three Penny Opera, *Lysander in
*A Midsummer Nights Dream, *and Paryfon Rogozhin in *Subject to Fits.*


*Scott Davis *returns to the Actors’ Summit stage for the first time in a
decade. With the company Scott performed in *Cotton Patch Gospel,* *Charlie
Brown,* and *A Child’s Christmas In Wales.*


*Shani Ferry* is a regular performer with* *Actors’ Summit.  Last season she
was seen in *Are We There Yet?*, *Last Train to Nibroc*, and *Wine, Women, &
Song*.


*Shawn Galligan *has* *appeared at Actors’ Summit in *Don’t Hug Me*, *Are We
There Yet?*, *Guys on Ice*, and *I Love a Piano.*


*Frank Jackman* is an Equity actor who has performed in more shows at
Actors’ Summit than any other male performer. He has been with the company
since 1999 playing a wide range of roles from *The Gingerbread Lady *to *Guys
on Ice*, *Don’t Hug Me*, *Russians in Love*, and *Polish Joke*.



*Paula Kline-Messner *a proud member of Equity, was last seen at Actors’
Summit this past summer in *Wine, Women & Song*.  Before that she appeared
with the company in *Charlie’s Aunt*.

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*Dawn Sniadak-Yamokoski *is returning to Actors’ Summit.  Last season Dawn
appeared in *Are We There Yet?*, *I Love a Piano* and the musical revue *Wine,
Woman & Song*

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*Performance times:*

Performances are given Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 8:00 PM and Sundays
at 2:00 PM at the theater, located at Greystone Hall, 103 South High Street,
6th Floor, Akron, Ohio.



*Ticket Prices*

Preview tickets (October 14) are $17.  Regular performance tickets are $30
on Fridays & Saturdays, $27 on Thursdays & Sundays, with seniors receiving a
$3 discount at regular Thursday and Sunday performances.  All full time
students with ID are $7 at all performances.  Additional discounts are
available to groups of ten or more.



Tickets can be purchased by phone at (330) 374-7568 or from the website at *
www.actorssummit.org*





*Web site**
*Actors’ Summit Theater can be found on the web at www.actorssummit.org.
Actors’ Summit is a professional, not for profit, 501-c-3 professional arts
organization.




-- 
Neil Thackaberry
Co-artistic Director
Actors' Summit, a professional theater
103 South High Street
6th Floor
Akron OH 44308
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