Theatre on the Hill Actors in Murder Mystery Weekend

Friday-Sunday, February 16-18, 2018

"Murder on the Cloudcroft Express", a spoof of Murder on the Orient Express, a play written and directed by Connie Breding, drama professor at NMSU-A in Alamogordo, was presented for a Murder Mystery Dinner Theater Weekend at the Lodge Resort and Spa in Cloudcroft, New Mexico. The hotel was sold out with people coming from several states around as well as across New Mexico for this FUN, interactive experience.

It is set in the early 1920's so the cast dressed appropriately for the era. The back story is that we are on the Cloudcroft Express from Phoenix, Arizona to Santa Fe, New Mexico. However, when we are on the Mexican Train Trestle at Cloudcroft there is an avalanche trapping us on the tracks. The engineer is able to back the train up enough so that the ski patrol and the Lodge employees are able to rescue us and bring us to the Lodge until the tracks can be cleared. As we are leaving the train a dead gentleman is discovered in his sleeping quarters and it appears he has been murdered and so it goes from there.

We have a cast of seventeen plus two crew members (Connie Breding, the director and Geowie Mosqueda, her able assistant).

We all had a marvelous time as did the attendees and I say this because they had many complimentary remarks to make about our actors.

On Friday night, we attended a champagne cocktail party with all the hotel clients and had dinner with them as well. They asked many questions about the dead man while trying to solve "who dunnit".

We had a repeat of the cocktail party and dinner on Saturday night and someone else gets murdered during that time. Now things get complicated for everyone! I did manage to get some great pictures of the cast that I will share with you.

Prince Advilromanoff played by Philipp Hedfeld

Anthony Falconetti (Fast Tony) played by Patrick McDonald

Sergeant Morrisey played by Gabe Mauger and Miss Jane Marple played by Ellie Mauger

Gerda Schmolsson played by Carla Kerr

Myron Buck played by Tony Calderon

Geowie Mosqueda, all around go-to guy for whatever you need and Connie's able assistant

Ed Minuteman played by John Burnie

Princess Advilromanoff played by Keddy Richardson with her prince

Hercules Parrot, played by JD Hilliard

Professor Connie Breding giving last minute instructions in the green room

Anthony Falconetti and Hercules Parrot

Heather Evans played by Hester McQueen

Contessa Dragonitsky played by Ulrike Burgheim

Marilee Devonshire played by Susan Gallegos

Helga Mortenson played by Andrea Garcia

Hercules Parrot, Prince Advilromanoff and Princess Advilromanoff, strategizing

Cornelia Cuppboard played by Deborah Cobb

Most of the Cast

The above pictures were taken on Saturday night. The following pictures were taken on Sunday morning, February 18, 2018, where we reveal the winners who solved the murders and award prizes right after an excellent breakfast. First, second and third prizes are given by the Lodge Resort and Spa and the Booby Prize and Costume Prize are given by the NMSU-A Theatre Guild.

JD Hilliard with the winner of the First Prize

Winner of the Second Prize with JD

Winner of the Third Prize with JD

Winner of the Booby Prize, a bottle of New Mexico wine, flanked by Carla Kerr and JD

Rachel, winner of the Best Costume Prize, a bottle of New Mexico wine, with Carla and JD

I do apologize for not getting the rest of the names of the prize winners. We will be doing this again on April 27-29, 2018 at the Lodge Resort and Spa in Cloudcroft because they sold out and had a waiting list of people wanting to come and I will make sure to get the prize winners names this time.

I also failed to get a picture of Monica Desjardins who played the part of Dr. Tina Constant, Coroner and Julia Newton who played the part of Hildegarde Schmitten. My apologies to both of you. I'll catch you on the next one.

If you ever have a chance to play in one of these murder mysteries, don't hesitate. For the most part, it is improvisational and you have a chance to really get into your character. Tons of FUN.

This is all I have to say for now.

Theatre on the Hill Guild Showcases Six One Act Plays

September 9-11, 2016

The Theatre on the Hill at New Mexico State University-Alamogordo was host to local playwrights, showcasing six one-act plays as a fund raiser for the Theatre on the Hill Guild. This is the brainchild of Drama Professor Connie Breding and is her third year of directing this particular event. Due to the comedic content in this years offerings, Connie came up with the title "Funny Zone" encompassing all plays involved.

Playwrights and plays presented are Carla C. Crittenden The Colors of Living Life; Carolyn Dittmer My Civic Duty; Andrea Garcia Choir Practice Catastrophe; Julia Newton Silver Lining; Roque Rosales Adding Oranges; and Bob Trowbridge Full Moon at the Rest Stop.

A Silent Auction was also conducted to raise more funds for the Theatre on the Hill Guild and it was very successful as well. Thanks to Carolyn Dittmer for all of her efforts in running this Silent Auction.
AND a huge thanks to businesses in the community who contributed items for the auction.

I apologize now for not having pictures of each play, but my husband, Doug, was able to take pictures at dress rehearsal of The Colors of Living Life which you will see below. I missed dress rehearsal due to illness so I am missing in the pictures, but am in the last photo of the cast along with members of the New Mexico Roadrunner Chapter of the Red Hat Society.

The Colors of Living Life is a play about an imaginary Red Hat chapter in New Mexico called Red or Green Chili Peppers.

L to R: Monica Helm, Kathy Barnes, Jan Wafful, Victoria Kennedy, Keddy Richardson, Ulrike Burgheim and Angela Basurto engaging in conversation while doing adult coloring

Discussion of Leigh Ann Parker's (Kathy) recent marriage

L to R: Monica, Angela, Kathy and Jan as Angela shows off her "substantial" diamond engagement ring

Everyone doing their exercise of the day led by Keddy (standing)

Playing "Happy Birthday" with Kazoos, the official musical instrument of the Red Hat Society

Reaction to an announcement of an upcoming event where they can exercise the official sport of Red Hatting "Shopping"

Front Row L to R: Keddy, Ulrike, Carla Kerr, Gail Swineford, Donna Williams, Victoria. Back Row L to R: Kathy, Angela, Jan W., Monica, Jan Jennings and Trudy Reese. This was taken after the Sunday Matinee outside the Theatre on the Hill.

All of the plays were well received and playwrights and actors were paid high compliments by attendees. It was a lot of fun and I look forward to next year when we do it again. Incidentally, the next offering at the Rohovec Theatre on the Hill is Steel Magnolias which is already in rehearsal. You won't want to miss this one! The production dates are November 11-12 and 18-20, 2016 so mark your calendar to remind you.

Thanks to Douglas A. Kerr, Photographer for taking these pictures for us.

This is all I have to say for now.