Photo by Kimmy Jordan

The Millard South drama department has been working hard these last couple of months putting together their first show of the school year, Deathtrap. 

In only two acts, Ira Levin, the playwright, put together a show that has comedy, betrayal, and murder all wrapped into one. The show opened back in 1978 and it still holds the record for the longest-running comedy-thriller to be on Broadway. 

The play opens with husband and wife, Sidney Bruhl (Alex Tippets) and Myra Bruhl (Madi Wesch) talking about an upcoming playwright. The audience can already tell that Sidney is jealous of the playwright, whose name is Clifford Anderson (Haden Brown), and even jokes about killing him. Sidney decides to invite Clifford into his home to talk about his new play, but things take a turn for the worst. 

The audience watches in horror as Sidney chokes Clifford to death in the middle of the act. Everyone in the room was dead silent as they watched the scene unfold. Myra almost couldn’t handle the stress of her husband killing another man with her sickening heart. In the end, she is forced to help Sidney drag the body out of the room and into the backyard to be buried. 

This isn’t even the end of act one. The audience also meets two more characters in the show, a wacky neighbor named Helga ten Dorp (Abby Langseth) and Sideny’s attorney, Porta Milgrim (K.J. Ellison). 

Everyone in the show did an amazing job. I was very proud of all of the actors in the show with the crazy death scenes and how real they seemed. The stage looked so good, as well, with the set, props, and costumes all working together in one setting. I was really impressed.

The next show Millard South is performing is Rock of Ages in November. The musical is going to have all of your favorite 80’s songs, high energy, and a love story you won’t want to miss out.