The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Dover Players back in business with murder-mystery trial
North Olmsted group that produces original plays has new venue
Guilty or innocent? In this courtroom production, the audience is the jury who decides the fate of a man accused of murdering his wife.
“A Question of Guilt — State v. Davis” is loosely inspired by the Laci Peterson murder case, according to Mark Little, 11-year actor and volunteer with North Olmsted-based Dover Players.
What takes place in this fictional courtroom is very close to what happens in an actual courtroom, thanks to the playwright, who is also a local attorney, Greg Lavelle.
It took about 15 months to find a new location for the all-original plays written by local playwrights, but Dover Players Community Theater has a new home and is ready to welcome back its faithful following.
The theater used to perform in North Olmsted’s Town Hall but is now making itself comfortable in the North Olmsted United Methodist Church, located just down the street from the former location.
Because the audience decides the verdict, each show has an alternative ending. Prizes are given to audience members who explain the best reasoning behind their decision in the provided evidence packets.
Little and his wife, Linda — also an 11-year volunteer with the theater — already have plans in motion for a romantic comedy musical in the summer, “Heir Pressure.” According to Linda, it’s about “a newlywed couple that finds living together challenging but a suggestion from a crazy marriage counselor changes the course of their lives in ways they could not imagine.”
Whether it’s for a gruesome murder trial or an upbeat romantic musical, the Littles are just glad to be back in the action.
“I’m really happy to be able to bring shows back,” says Linda. “We’re really thankful to the church and the pastor for giving us a space in that location. I’m sure our patrons will be happy.”