By Stephen Dubois
Alleyway Theatre in Buffalo presented a world premiere from lifelong friends and co-writers Jacob Albarella and Jason Kaiser: The Haunting of Hooverton Hotel. This is the duo’s second fully produced play and their third collaborative project.
I always find it fascinating when people established in one facet of film, music, or theater branch out into something adjacent. Composers, for example, can make excellent conductors because they understand the music and the orchestra so intimately. Cinema actors sometimes become wonderful film directors because their experience working with directors gives them a wealth of insight into the process. So, it isn’t much of a stretch to see a talented stage actor like Jacob take on playwriting after spending so much time immersed in theater and working with scripts. And Jason was the perfect friend to call upon for the collaboration.
There is a definite sweet spot for this play’s target audience: those who remember Saturday morning cartoons like Scooby-Doo, silly Disney Channel comedies, shows like Goosebumps, and campy, spooky film comedies like The Private Eyes and Murder by Death. The references are varied and plentiful, but the primary influence on the plot and structure is unmistakably Scooby-Doo.
Here, we meet a group of four college students (Johnny, Skeeter, Rosemary and Daisy) from none other than Mystery University who find themselves stranded with a damaged van and stuck at the creepy old hotel in Hooverton. After meeting the locals, hotel guests, and the vampiric concierge, Victor Spoils, they soon discover a nefarious plot to take over and close the hotel unless the will of the deceased Mr. Hooverton can be found. Add a ghost, a power failure, secret passages, and a collection of suspicious characters, and you have all the makings of a rousing mystery.
One curious aspect of the story is that this student group doesn’t initially feel much like a team, or even a close-knit group of friends. Their dynamic is more reminiscent of students forced to be working together on a class project than a group of seasoned mystery solvers. We soon learn, though, that Johnny and Rosemary are secretly dating, adding another layer to the familiar Scooby-Doo parallels, but other interactions with the group appear strained. By the end, however, the characters do come together and put their individual strengths to use, but that sense of teamwork feels as though it should have been established prior to the action rather than emerging as a result of this particular adventure.
The play takes a little time to find its footing and build momentum, but it eventually gets on track. The second half is considerably stronger, hitting its stride almost immediately. And the ending—which I won’t even hint at—is a genuine twist, the sort that could have confounded even Hercule Poirot – at least for a few minutes.
The set is colorful, with extensive projection mapping that transforms individual surfaces to suggest different wallpaper patterns and room elements. The retro aesthetic is reinforced by a color palette that even calls to mind the Mystery Machine from Scooby-Doo. Clever touches include hidden alcoves, rotating set sections that can fill the lobby space, and additional props brought into place to complete the various scenes. The result is an effective, cohesive scenic design that makes inventive use of the available space. There is also a screen where some pre-recorded action takes place – complete with a laugh track.
One element that gave me pause, however, was the lighting. Some scenes felt a bit too brightly lit for action supposedly taking place during a power failure. I wondered whether the projection mapping required brighter levels to remain effective, potentially creating a trade-off between showcasing the scenic effects versus maintaining the appropriate atmosphere. Whatever the reason, the lighting occasionally worked against the intended mood. Simply using darkness and flashlights might have created more realism and more genuine suspense, too, in some of the scenes.
The four college students are portrayed admirably. Ayden F. Herreid plays Johnny, the athletic, confident college jock who fills the familiar “Fred” role. Janaé Leonard is Rosemary, the nerdy, level-headed voice of reason who clearly occupies the “Velma” position. Gabrielys Rosa Lozada plays Daisy, a social-media-obsessed, phone-addicted “Daphne” type, while Ryan Okun is Skeeter, unmistakably the group’s “Shaggy.” It’s a nice twist that Johnny’s romantic interest is the brainier girl rather than the glamorous one, as Fred and Daphne traditionally paired up in Scooby-Doo. And, of course, this particular crew doesn’t have a dog!
Victor Spoils is played hysterically by Zachary Kushner. He seems to appear out of nowhere, time and again, startling the other characters and providing some wonderfully unexpected moments. Scott Barish is equally enjoyable as Buck Buckington, the hotel’s maintenance man, who proves to be a remarkably resourceful ally to the stranded students.
Caitlin Coleman is a hoot as the widow Hooverton, whose persistent, cougar-like advances toward Johnny generate plenty of laughs. VerNia Sharisse Garvin is deliciously devious as Deborah Chisel, the scheming antagonist determined to get her hands on the hotel by the following morning. Kerrick Woyshner, as the snack-obsessed Big Hoss Holiday, has a particularly amusing scene with Skeeter that brings to mind those familiar moments when Shaggy and Scooby would put their mystery-solving on hold for a food binge. Rounding out the cast is Connor McGuire as the rather dramatic drifter.
The strongest element of the play is its comedy and director Dan Lendzian brought out the best from this diverse cast. The audience was on board from the beginning, and laughter could be heard throughout the performance. Again, those of a certain generation will undoubtedly appreciate the jokes and lampooned references more than others, but the humor is accessible enough that anyone attending should find this an enjoyable night out. For audiences who grew up with these nostalgic television shows and movies, the familiar references are an added treat. There are running gags as well that never get old.
Overall, The Haunting of Hooverton Hotel is a lot of fun. The cast delivers the comedy with solid timing, and the set, despite being a bit brightly lit at times, effectively establishes the atmosphere. Albarella and Kaiser should absolutely continue writing and creating together, and I look forward to seeing what they come up with next.
This spooky show will be playing through November 14 and tickets are available through the Alleyway Theatre site: The Haunting of Hooverton Hotel – Alleyway Theatre – Buffalo’s Home for New Plays
