When I arrived at the Alleyway Theatre, I was given a form for lack of a better term, which listed some information about the production. It lists the names of the performers, etc and directed me to go to the website for more information. Well, when I arrived at the website there were pictures of the performers with their past credits but no indication of the parts that they play for this production. That really surprised me. I noticed that there were some reviews listed and so I took a peek to my surprise most of them spoke of the marvelous stage, the lighting and the brilliance of the director, the play itself, and information about the playwright Heidi Armbruster who adapted the Agatha Christie novel.

This made me extremely uncomfortable: I felt a lack of respect. Seven performers portrayed almost 15 characters and none of their characters listed by their names? There was some characters that I felt they played better than others and I would have liked to comment on that fact. The only thing that I can say now is that this was a Master Class!!!!

The dictionary says to master something “requires deep knowledge and understanding grasping the underlying principles and concepts. A person who has mastered a skill understands why it works and can apply it creatively and effectively in various situations. Has the ability to perform a skill with precision ease and grace. A person who has mastered a skill can do it without conscious effort or hesitation. A person who is a master of skill can adapt and adjust their approaches needed to achieve the desired outcome. Mastery is often the result of persistent effort, patience, and overcoming challenges. People who achieve Master status are usually dedicated, persistent, and willing to put in time and effort necessary to reach their goal.”

To the cast your performance was a MASTER CLASS. Thank you so much for the work.

Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd on stage at the Alleyway Theatre  through May 18. It’s a 2 hour run with a 15-minute intermission.