Written By Brae Foust

The beauty of murder mysteries is that fact that they let the audience play along with what’s going onstage.  A Tomb with a View does that intriguingly, written by Norman Robbins.  Some of the best ‘Who Dunnits,’ in my opinion, are the ones that can have a sense of humor to it, which is what Robbins is able to mix nicely in his play.  A good ole’ murder mystery performed by the players of the Lyric Theatre in Brownwood, which sets aside the fast-paced and high energy selections in Legally Blonde & Bye Bye Birdie for something more grounded, slower, and takes its time.

I am a sucker for one-set plays.   They allow it to make the one setting feel more appreciative all while making it seem bigger than what it truly is in the world we are being shown.  The show is set in a library/study & mad props Jimmy Henry who was given credit for making a phenomenal set the players got to work with.  I also want to give a big thumbs up to the lighting which plays a big role in this show for symbolic reasons, and Jaimee Banks gets all the praise for making it happen.  Of course, none of this show would be possible without the folks in the back like the stage managers & directors, but it was hard not to notice to point out the excellence of these two aspects.

A Tomb with a View is a spoof set in the library of an old mansion.  The action revolves around the Tomb family after the death of ‘The Master’ of the household and subsequent fallout after his reading of the will.  After finding out that ‘The Master’ gave most of his money away to someone that the family never knew about.  After the reading, bodies begin to fall and hunt for the killer pursues as we go on this heart-beating thriller ride to watch and see if our favorite character is the killer, or one of the victims.  

Hamilton Penworthy, played by Drex Holt, does a good job portraying the family lawyer, as well as making himself not so trustworthy.  Raelee Tayler plays the tough talking Emily Tomb, and I loved her comedic timing with her deep jabs at her siblings.  Aleah Franklin, coming off her lead role as Elle Wood in the summer production of Legally Blonde, plays the nurse Anne Franklin happy to even be part of the will reading as well as taking care of anyone hurt.  Marcus Tomb, played by Nate Olson, is the most eye-catching character for obvious reason & someone to watch out for, as well as Freda Mountjoy, played by Tracy Tucker, who plays like someone who doesn’t belong.  Dora Tomb, played by Krysta Bunch, brings out the crazy while Monica Tomb, played by Audrey McKillip, brings out sexy as she tries to get to know the shy Perry Potter, played by Brandon Pierce, in more ways from one, but does the shy man happen to be hiding something from her? Mums the word from me.

Cassia Rose got to direct a fun-filled mystery that had the audience in the palm of the players hand and I can’t praise her direction with this show enough.  A must-see show at the Lyric, playing the next two weekends.  Fridays October 17th & 24th at 7:30 PM, Saturdays October 18th & 25th at 2:30 PM as well as 7:30 PM, and Sundays, October 19th & 26th at 2:30 PM.  You can get your tickets online at brownwoodlyrictheatre.com.  Come out and try and see if you can figure out who the killer is and who will survive this comedic & heart-pounding thriller.  Who’s the killer?  You’ll have to come out to the theater to find out.

***

Brae Foust, along with being a DJ for KOXE radio and Sports Broadcaster for local area sports, is a classically trained Baritone who graduated with a degree in Music Education from Texas Tech University. He has performed regionally with the Texas Tech Opera Theatre, Amarillo Opera, and Lubbock Moonlight Musicals. Additionally, he has performed around the country, including Lincoln Center in New York City.