Ravenscroft

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A murder-mystery by Don Nigro, directed by Alan Aldrich

The Very Little Theatre concludes its 76th season with a four-week run of a murder-mystery, “Ravenscroft,” by Don Nigro.

This funny and suspenseful mystery is set in an English country estate in 1905. On a dark and snowy night, Police Inspector Ruffing is called to the estate to investigate the fatal plunge of Patrick Roarke down the main staircase. Ruffing becomes involved in the lives of five alluring and dangerous women who lead the inspector through a bewildering labyrinth of contradictory versions of the deaths of both Patrick Roarke and the late Mr. Ravenscroft.

There are ghosts on the staircase and skeletons in the closet. The inspector’s investigation leads him into his own tortured soul and a dark encounter with the truth.

Director Alan Aldrich has cast Lawrence Larson as Inspector Ruffing; Cindy Solari as Mrs. Ravenscroft and Katie Parker as her daughter; Jessi Cotter as Marcy, the governess; Tracy Burk as the maid, and Heidi Fraser as the housekeeper.

The distinctive set design by Richard Scheeland is in keeping with the playwright’s instructions to “stage the play without walls,” so that the five female suspects are literally and figuratively on the edge of Inspector Ruffing’s consciousness at all times.

Reserved seat tickets are $12. “Thrifty Thursday” performances prices are $10, and students may attend Thursdays for only $9. Senior citizens may attend the Sunday matinees for $9. Performances are Friday-Sunday, August 5-7; Thursday-Sunday, August 11-14, Thursday-Sunday August 18-21, and Friday-Saturday, August 26-27. Curtain is at 8 p.m. except for the 2 p.m. Sunday matinees.

The box office will open on Friday, July 29, from 2-5:30 p.m. and will continue Wednesday-Saturday the following four weeks. The phone number is 344-7751. The Very Little Theatre is located at 2350 Hilyard St. in Eugene.

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