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HOLMES & WATSON
Written by Jeffrey Hatcher
Directed by David Ellenstein
“Tight and clever and full of suspense!” – Arizona Daily Star
LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE presents HOLMES & WATSON, written by Jeffrey Hatcher and directed by Laguna Playhouse artistic director David Ellenstein.
Prepare yourself for a fast-paced, thrilling, suspenseful story that will keep you guessing until its final moments. In this worthwhile addition to the Sherlock Holmes canon, there are more twists and turns than a rollercoaster!
The legendary Sherlock Holmes is dead. Or so it is assumed. When a telegram arrives informing his loyal companion Dr. Watson that there are three men who each claim to be Holmes, it’s left up to the famous sidekick to take on the case and try to discover if one of the mad men is actually the real Sherlock Holmes.
Comments David Ellenstein, “Some years back, I had a great time directing Jeffrey Hatcher’s Holmes & Watson. It is a thrilling mystery that keeps you guessing right up until the last moment. It was as exhilarating for those of us that worked on the production as it was for the audience that experienced it and overwhelmingly cheered for the wild ride that they had. Years later, audiences that saw that show still tell me what a great time they had.
Before I directed this play, I was not a huge Sherlock Holmes enthusiast, but the play led me to read the Conan Doyle source material and I gained a new understanding for the lasting appeal of the detective. These stories are extremely well written. I became captivated by the detail and specificity of the character and literary style. I became a Sherlock fan. There is a reason Mr. Holmes endures through all sorts of adaptations and across time.
Jeffrey Hatcher is such an accomplished and skillful playwright. His specialty is exactly this genre – so this play bristles with intrigue, humor and verve. It truly captures the Holmesian style and mystery. The idea of a new production of Holmes & Watson at Laguna Playhouse fills me with eager anticipation. I am so excited by the exemplary cast we have assembled and the amazing design plans that will lift this play to its full potential. I believe Laguna Playhouse audiences are going to have a great time with this one.”
The cast of HOLMES & WATSON features (in alphabetical order): Richard Baird (The Rainmaker at Laguna Playhouse) as “Watson,” Matt Koenig (Cabaret at La Mirada Theatre) as “Holmes #2,” Matthew Floyd Miller (Sleuth at Ensemble Theatre Company) as “Holmes #1,” Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper (Oliver at 5-Star Theatricals) as “Dr. Evans,” Mike Peebler (Hamlet at Theatricum Botanicum) as “Orderly/Moriarty/Inspector,” Alice Sherman (Amadeus at North Coast Repertory) as “The Matron/The Woman,” and Christopher M. Williams (Tartuffe at Laguna Playhouse) as “Holmes #3.”
The design team for HOLMES & WATSON is as follows: scenic design by Stephen Gifford; costume design by Kate Bergh; lighting design by Jared A. Sayeg; sound design by Ian Scot; props design by Kevin Williams; hair and wig design by Peter Herman; fight choreography by Christopher M. Williams. Casting is by Michael Donovan Casting; Michael Donovan, CSA & Richie Ferris, CSA.
The Production Stage Manager is Vernon Willet.
HOLMES & WATSON will preview on Wednesday, May 29 at 7:30pm; Thursday, May 30 at 2:00pm & 7:30pm; Friday, May 31 at 7:30pm; Saturday, June 1 at 2:00pm & 7:30pm; (with a press opening on Sunday, June 2 at 5:30pm) and run through Sunday, June 16, 2024 at the Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Dr. in Laguna Beach.
Performances are Wednesdays through Fridays at 7:30pm; Saturdays at 2:00pm & 7:30pm; Sundays at 1:00pm & 5:30pm. There will be added performances on Thursday, May 30 at 2:00pm; Thursday, June 6 at 2:00pm & Tuesday, June 11 at 7:30pm. There will be no performance on Sunday, June 16 at 5:30pm. There will be a post-show talkback following the Friday, June 7 performance.
Tickets range from $45 – $84 and can be purchased online at www.lagunaplayhouse.com or by calling (949) 497-2787. Group discounts are available by calling 949-497-2787 ext.229. Prices subject to change.
The box office is open Tuesdays – Sundays: 12pm to 4pm; Mondays open 2 hours prior to show time and until 15 minutes after curtain. Open until showtime on all performance days.
For more information on all shows and programming visit www.lagunaplayhouse.com. LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE is located at 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.
