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An English manor house. A successful mystery writer. A love affair. These elements combine to thicken the plot of the mystery thriller Sleuth, playing at StageCenter Theatre in downtown Bryan from Oct. 7 to Oct. 23, 2021.
The Tony-winning play, written by English dramatist, screenwriter, and novelist Anthony Shaffer, features a visit between mystery writer Andrew Wyke and young rival Milo Tindle, who is having an affair with Wyke’s wife. When Wyke invites Tindle to his house, revenge is devised and murders plotted as the two begin a twisting cat-and-mouse game. “It’s a really good dialogue script between two really strong characters,” says director J. Paul Teel. “It’s quite a match of wits and repartee.”
Teel says he has been a fan of the play since he saw the 1971 film adaptation, which earned its stars, Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine, Academy Award nominations for best actor. “I saw it at the movies by myself, and I just loved it,” Teel recalls. “When I started doing acting, I always thought that would be a great role.”
In addition to directing, Teel plays Wyke, whom he describes as a writer refusing to admit that his glory days have passed. “I like that he is cunning and witty,” he says. “He is complex, which is always fun for an actor, and although the audience may not find him particularly likeable, he is interesting, operating from a position of superiority (though perhaps only in his own mind). ... You don’t really know what his motives are, but that’s part of the fun.” Teel has previously appeared in numerous area plays, including with StageCenter, the Theatre Company of Bryan College Station, and the Navasota Theatre Alliance. Sleuth marks his directorial debut.
The show is suitable for teens and up and runs Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., with one matinee show on Saturday, Oct. 16 at 2 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit stagecenter.net.
StageCenter’s 2021-22 Season
Women in Jeopardy! By Wendy MacLeod Directed by John W. Baldwin Dec. 2–18, 2021 In this comedy reminiscent of Thelma and Louise meets The First Wives Club, divorcées Mary and Jo trade in their wine glasses for spy glasses to discover the truth about their friend Liz’s new and suspicious dentist boyfriend.
Jeeves Takes a Bow Adapted by Margaret Raether Directed by Jay Thompson Feb. 3–18, 2022 Based on P.G. Wodehouse’s famous characters, the comedy follows Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves as they travel to New York City, where Wooster inevitably gets tangled in trouble. Can Jeeves come to the rescue?
The Vagina Monologues By Eve Ensler Directed by Savannah Barrera Feb. 25–27, 2022 A fundraiser for the Sexual Assault Resource Center, this special event shares women’s poignant and outrageous stories of intimacy, vulnerability, and self-discovery.
The Turn of the Screw Adapted by Jack Neary Directed by Ann Collins April 14–30, 2022 In this present-day portrayal of the classic gothic suspense thriller, a young governess takes a job caring for two recently orphaned children, but they are not alone as she begins to see ghosts of a previous governess and valet haunting the children.
Steel Magnolias By Robert Harling Directed by Micaela Eagle June 9–25, 2022 In her bustling beauty salon, Truvy Jones and her new assistant Annelle style the hair of many women about town, including curmudgeon Ouiser, millionaire Miss Clairee, and local social leader M’Lynn. Plenty of repartee results as the women deal with the challenges life brings.
Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery By Ken Ludwig Directed by Jennifer Hargis Aug. 4–20, 2022 This comedic take on “The Hound of the Baskervilles” finds Holmes and Watson on the case to find the killer of the Baskerville heirs.
