Marywood Palm Valley Play Features Comedic Mystery

Marywood Palm Valley High School takes on a bit of madcap mystery, intrigue and romance in its performance of Bullshot Crummond.

Performances are set for 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 10, 11, 12, 17 and 18 at the school in Rancho Mirage, according to the school's admission director Tonya Carr.

The play -- described as a rollicking comedy that parodies the old 1930s ‘B’ grade detective movies -- follows a British super-sleuth Bullshot Crummond and his attempts to foil Otto Von Bruno and his sidekick Lenya. 

“The Upper School drama program tries to vary the types of plays the students perform so they get a variety of genres to work with,” the high school's drama teacher Dave Richardt said. “It was time to go back to doing a regular comedy play. We try to give students as many experiences and different types of plays as possible to develop their craft.”

Richardt said the production begins with an actual film shot by MWPV computer teacher, Lee Roop, and then the action will move to the stage. 

“The play has every ‘old movie’ cliché imaginable and is so hokey and silly, but that’s what it’s supposed to be,” Richardt said.

J.W. Layne of Palm Canyon Theatre provided help with choreographing a sword fighting scene for the production. Richardt also met with two authors of the show who also played the leads in the Hollywood stage and in the movie version.

Throughout his tenure at MWPV, the theater program has won numerous competitions and nominations, including 19 nominations from the Desert Theatre League over the past three years. 

The school will find out about any DTL award announcements for last year’s Seussical, Jr. on Dec. 4, 2011. 

The cost for reserved seats (first 3 rows) is $15; general seating is $10. Call 760-328-0861 to purchase or for more information.