New Millennium Theatre Company of Chicago

Getting Away With Murder

by Stephen Sondheim & George Furth
Directed by Chad Wise
January 3, 2001 - February 3, 2001
Boxer Rebellion Theater

Getting Away with Murder offered its audiences more than just the traditional who-done-it spectacle so often encountered when "murder" appears in the title. Written by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth, Getting Away with Murder was more about the exploration of the evils of human nature. Sondheim and Furth offered a look into the deadly sins of humanity and how they led the characters of the play down a path of murder and complete destruction. Getting Away with Murder was New Millennium Theatre's first step away from using company members and involved a more diverse, local cast for major roles.

CAST

Martin Chisholm	Kevin Gladish
Dossie Lustig	Libby Piper
Pamela Prideaux	Leslie Kerrigan
Vassili Laimorgos	Don Prather
Gregory Reed	Chad Wise*
Dan Gerard	Dale Jackson
Nam-Jun Vuong	Martti Nelson*
Dr. Conrad Bering	Jon Sattler
Roberto	Victor Solorzano
J.R.	Thurston Cobb
Charmaine	LaQuita Cleare

CREW

Director	Chad Wise*
Assistant Director/ Lighting Designer	Allison Schaffer*
Stage Manager	Zenna Gustafson
Technical Director	Ed Gass
Costume Designer	Martti Nelson*
Prop Master	Amy Rath*
Graphic Artist	Stacie Long
Fight Choreographer	Jill Matarelli, SAFD

*Denotes New Millennium Theatre Company Member

Director's Note

The standard murder mystery play is tired. You're presented with your characters, the crime is committed, and the rest of the play is spent misdirecting you, the audience, until the author demonstrates how clever he is with the Great Revelation at the end. Truth be told, I'm bored with most murder mysteries. Getting Away With Murder is NOT most murder mysteries. By intermission,you'll know who did the deed, but the question is, will the rest of the characters figure it out before it's too late? The author is not well known for his non-musicals, but if you pay close attention, you'll hear one of Sondheim's most intricate compositions. The interactions between these wildly different characters, their back and forth antagonizing and baiting is woven together with such deliberation and grace, that you may find yourself looking for a conductor. That's one of the things that attracted me to this script. It presents you with a mosaic of rich, realistic characters and then throws them together on probably the worst night of their lives. All this and a great mystery story too. From a playwright not working in his familiar medium, that's something special. I hope you enjoy the show.
-Chad Wise

REVIEWS

New City By Web Behrens
With nods to Agatha Christie and “Columbo,” Stephen Sondheims Getting Away With Murder refreshes a tired theatrical genre. The New Millennium Theatre Company might not have the across the board talent or the finances to mount a flawless production, but they’ve got guts and enthusiasm, not to mention a nifty simple set that over comes space issues. Under Chad Wise’s direction, two thirds of the suspects - Libby Piper, Leslie Kerrigan, Martti Nelson, and Don Prather – find the humor in their unsavory characters’ sinful ways. The killer’s role is tricky, and the performer doesn’t quite pull it off – never quite menacing or desperate enough – but there is enough bang in the script to keep things interesting.