Monday, October 9, 2017

LOVE AND MURDER ARE SET TO MUSIC AT THE PALACE



JAMES TAYLOR ODOM AND THE CAST OF "A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE & MURDER"

If you were a penniless lad, newly orphaned, with no prospects on
 the horizon, and you accidentally learned your mum was a member
 of the privileged class, what might you do?  So what if that same
 aforementioned mother lost her inheritance for marrying poorly,
 you might still have hopes of getting a piece of the royal pie now you know it exists. 
 Enter one Monty Navarro (Blake Price) who determines to claim what he feels is 
rightfully his.  To that end, he pens a polite letter of inquiry to Lord D’Ysquith 
requesting the right to work for the family and honestly gain his inheritance. 

Unfortunately the Lord wants nothing to do with Monty... ever.  That decision sets off a series of unforeseen 
consequences that result in the thoroughly delightful musical comedy with  an unusual twist on this 
theme,  "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder," with book and lyrics by 
Robert L. Freedman and music and lyrics by Steven Lutvak, at the Palace Theater in 
Waterbury on Friday,  October 20 and  Saturday, October 21.

Monty is a Don Quixote in his quest for the Impossible Dream velcroed to Monty Python 
and his mission to secure the Holy Grail and you have the beginnings of his fervor as an heir apparent.   The absolute rejection of his claim, with the stern proviso never to contact the 
D'Ysquiths ever again, leads the industrious Monty to pursue a how-to book, a guide to 
love and murder for the proper gentleman. James Taylor Odom plays all the heirs, male 
and female, with aplomb.

 Monty determines that to become the next Lord D'Ysquith, his most desired position of 
wealth and good standing, there are only nine family members ahead of him.  His clever
 solution is to eliminate them, one by one, and all his dreams will become reality.  And if 
he finds love along the way, all the better. He has a lot of fun juggling a mistress 
Sibella Hallward (Colleen McLaughlin) and a cousin/fiancee Phoebe D’Ysquith
 (Erin McIntyre).

So what if each heir needs a little assistance in meeting his maker, Monty has both 
ingenuity and a sense of style. Soon he is  drowning one in a pond of ice, helps another
 to swallow a potion of poison, pushes one  from a belfry tower and encourages hungry
cannibals to  devour another.  The only question that remains is:  will Monty succeed
 in snatching the title of Lord, with all its attendant riches, or will the coppers charge
 him with multiple murders?  Come and discover for yourself.

For tickets ($57.50 and up), call the Palace, 100 East Main Street, Waterbury  at 
203-346-2000 or online at www.palacetheaterct.org.  Performances are Friday 
at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Grab on tight to Monty Navarro's coat tails for a merry mix of murder, music and 
mayhem that is sure to delight, especially as the winner of the 2014 Tony Award 
for Best Musical.  Root for Monty who has the best of mercenary intensions, 
getting wealthy and sporting a title as Lord.

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