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NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Leah Jackson (jacksonl@nsula.edu)
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466
7/13/2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NATCHITOCHES - A Wild West comedy murder mystery with big characters and even bigger costumes will be staged as the Northwestern State University Summer Theatre presents Murder Rides Again. The interactive and semi-improvisational show will include audience reaction as the performers stay in character while engaging theatergoers in the mystery. Tickets are $20, which includes a four-course Western-style meal served by the cast. Scott Burrell is the director.
For actors Robert Richoux of Covington and Rebecca Russell of Alexandria, involving the audience makes each production unique.
"One thing I love about live theatre is the audience participation. It keeps it fresh and keeps it fun. The audience is really important," Russell said.
"I love doing improvisation and this show is a lot of improv, talking with the audience while we're serving dinner," Richoux said. "Comedies are always fun."
Murder Rides Again is loosely based on the television series Gunsmoke with similar characters. Richoux will play the role of Marshall Duke, the cowardly marshal of Groaner's Gulch.
"Marshall Duke is tough on the outside but deep down inside he is scared of everything. He doesn't like confrontation. The only reason Marshall Duke went to this town was because there were no outlaws and he gets to be top dog," Robert said. "There is a lot of background among the characters that continues into the show."
"I play Miss Liddy, who owns the saloon and takes care of all the guys and is the brains of everything that goes on," Russell said.
In the play, Miss Liddy holds an annual chili cook-off. An outlaw hired by ranchers with a vendetta against a sheepman rides into town. A bumbling deputy thwarts Marshall Duke's attempt to avoid the outlaw. A character dies and the audience tries to figure out who killed the character and why.
"The audience gets to guess and we give them clues," Richoux said. "Some audience members may be pulled into the production to participate in the chili cook-off." The audience will receive "bribe money" to entice the suspects to give them clues and a dossier that contains riddles and puzzles to solve the mystery.
Richoux's theatre concentration and most of his experience is in technical theatre -- lights, sound and stage construction -- but he is a member of the Out on a Limb improvisation troupe and has acted in two other comedies.
"I enjoy being on-stage but I also like to create things with my hands and that aspect of production, rather than just being on the stage. As an actor you can appreciate the stage, but as a technical person, you can look at a production and say, 'That was good and I did that.'"
Russell performed in high school dinner theatre but as a theatre major with a minor in music at Northwestern she has performed primarily in musical productions, including the annual Christmas Gala, "Godspell" and, most recently, Kiss Me Kate. This is her first straight play and first time to time to work with director Scott Burrell.
"Scott is a great director and I've enjoyed this production. There will be a different audience every night and to stay in character while interacting with the audience, we have to be quick on our feet," Russell said. "The rehearsal process is not too strict. We get to have fun with the script and with Scott. We have more fun in rehearsals than in any other show. It's a small cast with only six characters and that makes it easy for us to bond. I think the audience will see that chemistry. And our costumes are outrageous."
"Because of the different audiences, the communication we have will change. We do stick to the script, but Scott wants the ad lib and wants us to go as big as we can go," Richoux said. "It's a kooky, outgoing show."
Murder Rides Again will be presented July 26-29, Aug. 2-5 and Aug. 9-12 in the A.A. Fredericks Auditorium. Shows begin at 6 p.m. Tickets are $20, which includes the meal and the show. For more information on the NSU Summer Theatre, call (318) 357-4483 or (318) 357-6891.