From left: Courtney Warren, Joy Scott and Marty Moreno. Photo courtesy of Teco Theatrical Productions.

Chris Hauge and Alice Montgomery. Photo courtesy of Teco Theatrical Productions.

From left: Cathy Ann Fears and Heather Massey. Photo courtesy of Teco Theatrical Productions.

  

A Medal for Murder

by Darryl W.R. Allara and Kenneth Freehill

Presented by TeCo Theatrical Productions

October 16 - 25

at Bishop Arts Theater Center
215 South Tyler St. (Oak Cliff)
Dallas, TX 75208
214-948-0716

$15-$20

8pm Fridays & Saturdays; 3pm Sundays
Runtime: Two hours and 15 minutes with one intermission

Audiences look forward to any play with the word "murder" in the title, hoping for a juicy whodunit in the vein of Agatha Christie. But don't expect that from TeCo Theatrical Productions' world premiere of A Medal for Murder. It's not a mystery in the classic sense, but there are definitely corkscrew plot twists, lots of blackmail and a few stiffs.

TeCo's staging, directed by its co-authors Darryl W.R. Allara and Kenneth Freehill and reviewed at a preview performance, is a nice-looking show with some solid acting performances mixed with a few overearnest and green ones. Its biggest detractor is that the script and the show take a little too long to build into something that's worthy of the intrigue of "murder." Once it's there, though, the show moves briskly.

It's 1968 in a small Minnesota town, and Pearl Paycock (Alice Montgomery) owns a funeral home that has just received its first casualty from the Vietnam War. Army Colonel Walter D. Johns (Chris Hauge) is on hand to help facilitate the intake, as is the soldier's widow, Lydia (Joy Scott). Two other military types, Captain Paul Green (Courtney Warren) and Mr. Scarletti (Marty Moreno) show up, too. It quickly becomes apparent that nobody is who they say they are. Well, except perhaps for Josephine (Cathey Ann Fears) and Jorgi (Heather Massey), who are associated with another deceased person in the funeral parlor.

Anytime a show involves mixed-up corpses, you can count on hilarity. That doesn't really happen here, or not soon enough, anyway.

Montgomery and Hauge are clearly the pros on this stage, and overshadow the turns by everyone else, with the exception of Moreno, who makes the most of a believable character. Warren seems most of out place, with an odd speech pattern that seems less a product of military service than of stage nerves.

The writers at least do a commendable job with setting up the plot's twists and working out the overall logic.

There are two minor quibbles: First is the wimpy sound effect for the gunshots, which need to be loud and scary—or at least convincing—to put audiences in the moment. Also, two stagehands are used as non-speaking characters, as employees at the funeral home. But they're not costumed accordingly with the period. In modern backstage clothes and sneakers, they stick out.

The show looks amazing, though. It's a beautiful set (by Steven Ploch) with handsome, fitting costumes and dandy lighting effects (also by Ploch). And, in case you haven't been to the Bishop Arts Theater Center in Oak Cliff yet, make it a mission. This is easily one of the most attractive and comfortable small theaters in town, with ample amenities, comfy chairs and a 170-seat house with an intimate—if a bit sterile—proscenium stage. Parking along the street and in a nearby parking lot is also plentiful, and there are security cameras everywhere.

It has to be North Texas' best-kept secret, as far as venues go.

And with a little more stage time, A Medal for Murder could feasibly sharpen up and be worthy of at least a bronze.