Murder On Deck

WRITTEN BY: Eileen Moushey
PERFORMED AT:
* Saint Mary Our Mother School, Horseheads
* Sorge's Restaurant, Corning
PERFORMED ON:
* February 12, 2007
* March 2, 9, 16 & 23
DIRECTED BY: Shari Paige-Rich
SPONSORED BY: Market Street Irregulars, Corning
CAST:
* CAPTAIN GIOVANNI DE LA ROBBIA- Don Lerario
* GINA TUTTIMENTO- Debbie Troia
* JOEY CARMINE- Ottavio Campanella
* BAMBI CARMINE- Libby Bloodgood (2/12,3/2) / Shari Paige-Rich (3/9) / Jane Daum (3/16,23)
* FREDO GAMBONI- Len Solomon
* AL GILLESPIE- David A. Scott
* TILLIE GILLESPIE- Beverly Kennedy

PLOT: A sea cruise plagued with problems goes further awry when someone winds up murdered. A dinner theater murder mystery comedy, originally titled "Honeymoon From Hell".

HISTORY: Over half a year had passed since MSI's previous "new" show "Audition For Murder", and we were anxious to get back on track. Since we were slated to do another February fundraiser for the Saint Mary school in Horseheads, it was decided that whatever show we do there would also be our next extended-run show at Sorge's.
The show selected was "Honeymoon from Hell", but to let people know that the show is about an ocean cruise, director Shari changed the title to "Murder On Deck". The play had four male roles, and only four males auditioned, thereby ensuring me a part, this one being the 60-plus year-old Al Gillespie.
Channeling bits of Jackie Mason, Billy Crystal, Christopher Walken, and Estelle Getty, I donned thick glasses, a Hawaiian shirt, and gray-sprayed hair to portray a retiree on a botched second honeymoon. Along the way, I also contributed to choreographing (and finding music for) the Captain's karaoke scene.
The fundraising performance at St. Mary's played to full crowd, and an impressively decorated (cruise ship-style) building. Since the show takes place on the ship's "Talent Night", audience members were brought onstage to hula dance, sing "Moonlight Bay", and do a dramatic reading of the first pages from "Green Eggs and Ham". Needless to say, they managed to steal the show.
The next performances were scheduled, for the first four Fridays of March, at Sorge's restaurant in Corning. Due to personal reasons, Libby bowed out after the first Sorge's show, with director Shari performing her Bambi role for the second performance. Due to a busy schedule, Shari dropped out, with MSI/LCP cohort Jane Daum playing Bambi for the final two shows.