Deathtrap Takes the Stage at Ankeny Community Theatre

Deathtrap, Ira Levin’s thriller, has more twists and turns than mountains have switchbacks. The complicated plot certainly keeps audiences paying close attention to all the action. The play tells the story of celebrated playwright Sidney Bruhl who is suffering from chronic writer’s block and is in desperate need of a Broadway hit before he runs out of cash. When Clifford Anderson, a young writer, shows Sidney the script for his new whodunit, Sidney plots to claim the thriller as his own.

Scott Nielsen is directing the show. “The same thing I love about this show is the same thing I hate about this show - it’s very challenging. The writer is very specific about certain things in regards to the play and it is up to myself, my assistant director, and stage managers to be sure we meet all those specifications to do our part in making this the best production we can. There are many different levels to this show. I don’t want to say anything that will give the plot away, but it’s a challenge to see why the characters are acting a certain way at different points of the play. I can promise the audience that if they see this show more than once there will be something, if not multiple things, they pick up on that they did not notice or realize the first time they saw it.”

Troy Gould plays Sidney Bruhl. “Sidney is a very full of himself middle aged, former semi-brilliant playwright who hasn’t had a good idea in years. He talks like a dictionary and loves nothing more than the sound of his own voice. However, despite these downfalls, Sidney is an intriguing and deep character who I truly enjoy portraying. The production is amazing. Doing a thriller of this complexity level on stage in a community theater setting is ambitious and beyond challenging. The small cast (and therefore large amount of lines and stage time for each actor) makes for a perfect situation for the audience to really become involved in both the story and characters.

Deathtrap opens October 2 and runs through October 18. This show contains adult language and content and not suitable for youth under 13. Showtimes are Friday and Saturdays at 7:30PM and Sundays at 2:00PM. Ticket prices are: Adults - $15, Seniors (60+) - $12, Youth (ages 5-18) - $12. Reservations may be made online at http://www.ankenycommunitytheatre.com/reservations.html.