Written
by C.B. Gilford, this enchanting serving
of tea and murder, à la “Arsenic and Old
Lace” includes a 12-person cast for tongue-in-cheek
comedy-mystery that keeps the audience laughing
and guessing through all three acts. “Bull
in a China Shop”, first published as a
short story in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
and aired as a TV episode on “Alfred Hitchcock
Presents” (1958), is a veteran of hundreds
of community theater performances.
The
spinsters are played by Elizabeth Jagelski
(Miss Hildegarde), Jan Cronkhite (Miss Birdie),
Roz Edwards (Miss Amantha), Shelly Franklin
(Miss
Lucy), Karen Schroeder (Miss Nettie), and
Susan Schlenz (Miss Elizabeth).
Cast members include Rich Hendricksen as
Homicide Detective First Class (O’Finn),
Mark Franklin as Detective Second Class (Kramer),
Merle Myrick
and Tom Jagelski as stretcher-bearers and
Rhonda
Miller as the pushy young female reporter
(Jane Rogers).
Jim
Thorn makes his stage debut as the fingerprint
expert (Johnson) as well as enhancing the
performance with his delightful piano accompaniment.
“ Bull in a China Shop” provides an entertaining
evening of community theater for those
who like quaint whodunits.
