[NEohioPAL] Sherlock Holmes Is Back!

[John Ballantyne]

                                    “Sherlock” Returns
                                        to the Victorian

     A few years ago the Victorian Players had great success with “Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure.”  Based on that success, and requests for more Holmes adventures, the Victorian will stage “Sherlock Holmes and the West End Horror” by Anthony Dodge and Marcia Milgrom Dodge.  The show will open for a three week-end run on Friday, February 10 and run through Sunday, February 26.  Evening performances will be at 7:30 pm. with matinees at 2:00 pm.
     “Sherlock Holmes and the West End Horror” puts the famous sleuth on the trail of another exciting murder caper.  A despicable theatre critic is murdered in London’s West End.  None other than George Bernard Shaw comes on the scene to convince Holmes and Watson to take the case.  But as things progress they run afoul of such literary greats as Oscar Wilde, Gilbert & Sullivan, Henry Irving, Bram Stoker, and H.G.Welles.  With numerous references to “Dracula” and some of Wilde’s and Sullivan’s characters, it provides for an entertaining and amusing evening with the two world famous detectives.  Holmes and Watson eventually come up against their own celebrity as they track the killer in what is truly a fun and enjoyable evening of theatre.
     Returning to play the role of Sherlock Holmes will be Dave Wolford who won critical acclaim for his previous Holmes portrayal.  Watson, his trusty side-kick will be played by veteran actor Tim McGinley.  McGinley has appeared with great frequency on area stages in a variety of roles.  Others in the cast are Jenna Cintavey as Mrs. Hudson, Phillip Clark as George Bernard Shaw,  C. Richard Haldi as Inspector Lestrade, Bill Finley as both Gilbert and Sullivan, Sheridan Sullivan as Bram Stoker,  Theresa Leonard as Jessie Rutland, Yvonne Andrews as Ellen Terry, Vinnie Dragos as H.G. Welles.  Appearing in other roles will be  Jesse Pomerico, Byron Armour, Dan Schiller, Hunter Thomas, Brandi Hughes, Jacob Nash, Mike Blanchard, Grace Offerdahl, Johnny Herbert, and  Davin Stilson.
     Anthony Dodge and Marcia Milgrom Dodge actually based their script on “The West End Horror”: A Posthumous Memoir of John H. Watson, M.D.  by Nicholas Meyer which was published in 1976. It was meant to be part of a trilogy written by Meyer with the other two stories being “The Seven-Per-Cent Solution” and “The Canary Trainer.”  Anyone who is a Sherlock Holmes fan will be sure to enjoy this adaptation as it pits the world famous duo against a litany of literary characters.
     Reservations are strongly suggested for the show and can be made by calling the Victorian Players reservation line at 330-746-5455.  The Victorian Players are located at 702 Mahoning Avenue in Youngstown, just up the street from the Mahoning Avenue Bridge and across the street from the former location of Flynn’s Tire.
     Our Corporate Partner for this production is the New Castle Lyric Opera Company.

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