Café Murder, short plays set for Performance Studio Series

Grand Valley theater majors will bring a murder mystery to life on stage during “Café Murder,” as well as a string of short plays, as part of this year’s Performance Studio Series.

Performances of “Café Murder” and "All in the Timing: A Collection of One-Act Plays by David Ives" will take place October 25 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and October 26 and 27 at 7:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center's Louis Armstrong Theatre on the Allendale Campus.

Anthony Sanchez, writing and theater major, will be at the helm of “Café Murder” in his first experience directing a Grand Valley production.

“In this production, Rosemary chooses to celebrate her birthday with her sisters and friends at Café Murder, but her self-centered attitude may turn her birthday into her ‘death day,’” Sanchez said. “When tragedy strikes, it’s up to junior detective Reginal Harris to discover 'who done it.' Expectations versus reality is a big part of the piece as it takes the over-dramatized aspects of what we want to come from our hopes and pokes fun at them."

Three short productions, including “Sure Thing,” “The Philadelphia” and “English Made Simple,” will follow “Café Murder." The shorts will be directed by Kimberlee Griggs, senior theater and psychology major, who is also debuting in a directorial role at Grand Valley. Griggs said her biggest challenge in producing these three short plays has been guiding each individual piece of the show.

"The last time I directed, all of the technical aspects were decided for me and I just had to worry about the play, but this time I am working and communicating with all areas of the process, from designers to stage managers," Griggs said. "In the future, it will be especially valuable to be a well-rounded artist. Not only does it add to your flexibility in what types of jobs you can perform, but it also makes collaborating with others so much easier."

Tickets are $6 and can be purchased at the Louis Armstrong Theatre Box Office or by calling (616) 331-2300.

The Performance Studio Series allows upper-level theater students to put into practical use the skills they learn in the classroom through directing, lighting, set design and costume design. The 2015-16 P.S. Series schedule can be found at www.gvsu.edu/theater.