In The News: Improv, mystery make 'Fatal Combination'

The Newberg High School drama troupe’s latest production, Peter DePietro’s “Fatal Combination,” isn’t for the faint of heart.

It’s not because the murder mystery, which hits the stage Friday and Saturday as well as Sept. 19-20, is a heavy emotional undertaking; it’s actually quite the opposite — but rather that it will be interactive, with audience members being pulled on stage to participate.

“We call it ‘guest up,’ which is nice because I know a lot of people that have told me they’re coming,” senior director Grace Hartley said. “I’m excited for some of the people that are going to get pulled up on stage.”Photo Credit: SETH GORDON - Pointed questions - Junior Travis Cox plays the lead role of amateur investigator George Manning in Newberg High School's presentation of ‘Fatal Combination,' an improvisational and rather silly murder mystery, at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Photo Credit: SETH GORDON - Pointed questions - Junior Travis Cox plays the lead role of amateur investigator George Manning in Newberg High School's presentation of ‘Fatal Combination,' an improvisational and rather silly murder mystery, at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Audience members really have no reason to be wary, as much of the play is improvisational and so there is no wrong answer, or rather question, as the audience will be pulled into the investigation of several murders at an upscale Boston hotel.

The hotel is hosting an exhibit of Byzantine treasure and with trouble afoot, amateur detectives George and Margaret Manning take up the case.

“Someone is after it and they find it necessary to kill a lot of people to get it,” Hartley said of the treasure. “It’s more than anything goofy and not really plot focused. It’s a lot of giggles.”

The ambitious sleuths, played by junior Travis Cox and sophomore Tatiana Lessaos, really get the silliness going as they interrogate the cast. Hartley said she has enjoyed watching the cast strengthen their improvisational muscles.

“At the very beginning no one was comfortable with each other, so everyone was asking if it was OK to do this joke or that joke,” Hartley said. “Now it’s pretty fluid. It’s just entertaining.”

The play was cast at the end last school year and the cast and crew have been on campus for the past three weeks preparing the annual “summer” play. Also playing key roles are sophomore René Rangel (Dimitri) and junior Claire Retter (Bunny Berringer).

“I think it’s good for the summer play because no one really expects it to be super serious,” said junior Reid Dolyniuk, who plays one of the “hosts,” acting as both narrator and emcee.

Cost is $6 for adults and $3 for students and all shows are at 7 p.m.