It's been several years since the Marshalltown High School drama department put on a murder mystery, so it appears the time has come.
Students will present "The Mousetrap" by Agatha Christie this weekend at the MHS/Community Auditorium.
The play is set outside of London in 1952 and the characters are snowed in at a manor. They are trying to figure out which one of them committed a murder in the house.
"I thought it would be fun for them to do a whodunit play," said MHS teacher Rebecca
Erickson, who leads the play as director. "Somebody gets murdered before in another location and a second murder occurs during the play. The characters are very quirky and it should be kind of funny."
There is a small cast of just eight people led by the main couple of Mollie Ralston and Giles Ralston, who are played by students Allyson Biggs and Jonathan Kirner. Other student cast members include Chandler Fisher, Gwen Morrison, Sumeet Panchal, Kierra Carbajal, Carl Giannetto and Ben Kirner. This cast reflects a youth movement of sorts in the drama department as five of the eight members are freshmen.
"It's a fresh, young cast," Erickson said.
Jonathan Kirner said the students are excited to be putting on the mystery this year.
"We have some great actors and we're working really hard," he said.
The production work began in late September for the play. Erickson is pleased with the work the non-cast members are doing behind the scenes.
"We've had a lot of good support on the set crew and costuming," she said.
The play will be performed at 7 p.m both Friday and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday. Cost of tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for kindergarten through eighth grade with activity tickets accepted. Children younger than kindergarten are free.
Tickets are available at the door prior to the shows only. The two-act play is expected to last 1 hour and 45 minutes.
