Frozen In Mystery

When you attend the world premiere of a show on opening weekend there is always an air of uncertainty.

When you have not yet read the press release for that show, the riddle surrounding the subject matter is increased. In fact, the small bits of information that I received in my invitation simply told me that it was written by Schatzie Schaefers, it was titled Silver Thaw and that it was in fact, a murder mystery. How could I resist? I love a good whodunnit.

Silver Thaw is set in 1982, and it is the tale of a group of people that become trapped in a 12-room lodge in Landry, Washington during a freak ice storm. The obscene graffiti on the wall is nothing compared to what the night has in store for them. Lodge guests and staff alike are hiding plenty of secrets. When tragedy strikes, suspicions are cast, and accusations fly amok. Secrets are revealed as each person tries to figure out exactly what happened.

Brian Saylor has done an excellent job with the set, combining the rustic with the comfortable to complete the perfectly decorated front lobby of the lodge. The warm colors, mixed with wicker furniture felt exactly right. I immediately thought of the living room from the television set of the Golden Girls, if it had been set in the Pacific Northwest, which is entirely appropriate given the time period that the show occurs in.

More flashbacks to the 80's came from the sound cues. When Paul Randall, as Peyton, adjusted the small boombox the radio ads, music and news perfectly set the mood. I must also bring attention to the paper props from Jamie Rodriguez. When the handsome Jim Haacke as Menard was reading the newspaper I stole a glance, and what appeared to be fully written articles and photographs from the Seattle area, including fictional Landry, were clearly visible.

Without having any inkling of the show’s plot I found myself wondering in the first act why there was so much time being spent on character development and backstory, until I remembered that I was watching a murder mystery and I should pay attention for any clues that were being given. Despite a couple of problems with pacing, and a few stumbled lines, the ensemble cast did a wonderful job of bringing the zany and wacky characters to life. Each actor fully embraced their role and committed to it. I found myself instantly disliking Tai Yen Kim as Owens, the yuppie Chicago businessman who deemed fit to put down every other person at the lodge, including his amiable co-worker McLean, played by Todd Sherwood. Devan Hawkins as Shelly, the manager of the lodge and owner’s daughter, and Amanda Cantrell as Deena, Head of Housekeeping had a particularly strong chemistry and quickly won my heart as Deena tried to support Shelly during a terrible ordeal.

Evan Carson as Trooper Jim spends the least amount of time on stage but his natural charm and easy going nature made him very memorable. The character of Genevieve Vanderbilt, portrayed by Jill Sowerwine left an impression as well, but this was accomplished through dramatic histrionics and a demanding nature that fit the name Vanderbilt comfortably.

Each cast member stood out in their own way, which is not an easy task when you have 12 actors performing in a small theater space. Particular praise goes to Jan Jones as Helen, and Mary Claire LeTourneau as Svetlana. Jones portrayal of the bubbly over zealous kitchen host had a contagious effervescent quality, and provided many of the laughs in a show brimming with humor. LeTourneau's performance of the Russian maid was perfection, especially considering that she had to speak the bulk of her lines in Russian, a language that was new to her before rehearsals started. She also provided some of the best comedic moments, but if I told you when it would spoil the surprise.

The show is full of twists and turns at every corner, and just when you think you have someone figured out, you will realize that you have no idea what is actually going on. One of my favorite surprise moments was delivered by the characters of Elwood and Mayzie, the newlyweds, played by Oliver Siemens and Farrah Greene-Palmer, respectfully. The subject matter was handled with dignity and truth and I must commend not only the writing by Schaefers but also director Sara Athans.

This show is a premiere, and everything in it, from design to costumes, to characters is the first time that it will be done. For Athans, it is also her farewell to ACT. Leaving a company that she has dedicated so much to must be tough, but her direction helped a new show find it's beginning.

For that she must be proud, and she should be.