Aurora, New York—The Wells College Theatre & Dance Department is proud to present the Fall Faculty Production, Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Suicide Club, written by Jeffrey Hatcher and directed by Associate Professor of Theatre Siouxsie Easter. Sherlock Holmes will be performed in Phipps Auditorium of Macmillan Hall on the Wells College campus on Friday, October 24 and Saturday, October 25 at 7:30pm.

Hatcher wrote the play in 2011, but he combines Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic pair of detectives with Robert Louis Stevenson’s 3-part series, The Suicide Club. Set in 1914, this complex mystery follows Sherlock Holmes and John Watson in a brand new adventure that takes place in the center of London amid pre-World War I tensions. Sherlock Holmes faces the challenge of navigating numerous shady characters of various nationalities with hidden intentions while Dr. Watson attempts to keep up with Holmes’s rapid pace.

“You are constantly trying to figure out what the real mystery is,” said Director Siouxsie Easter. “I see it as several mysteries wrapped up together in one big show. It’s been really fun to work on Sherlock Holmes and learn more. My research has been great, learning more about Arthur Conan Doyle. This is set in a slightly later time period than the Sherlock Holmes stories, but it does serve as a great backdrop for the things that are happening in London during that time. The more Sherlock Holmes mysteries I read, the more wonderful I think this adaption is.”

The intricate set and lighting are designed by Technical Director Joe Deforest, the period costumes are by Barbara Murphy, and the show is stage managed by student Abigail George ’15. The cast features approximately twenty student actors from all disciplines and classes. The stage crew is made up of both students experienced in technical theatre and those new to the field. Seniors Casey Jamieson and Gloria Franco will be performing the roles of Sherlock Holmes and the Club Secretary (respectively) as their senior theses.

“Sherlock Holmes” is recommended for ages 12 and up for brief, suggested violence. Admission is free.

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