Forward's 'Murder Girl' is like a Midwest game of 'Clue' | Entertainment

It takes less than five minutes for the characters in Heidi Armbruster's world premiere comedy “Murder Girl” to mention the Packer game.

Set in 2006 in a small town, a family-run Wisconsin supper club at Christmas, Armbruster's new comic crime novel features the believable entertainment of a Midwestern family during the holidays. Forward Theater Company will perform “Murder Girl” the weekend before Thanksgiving, November 24th, at Overture’s Playhouse Theater.

Written by Armbruster, a Madison native who found success as an actor and playwright in New York, “Murder Girl” is replete with references to local sports and Wisconsin Old Fashioneds. A familiar Christmas jingle plays between each scene (sound design by Joe Cerqua).

“Murder Girl” begins with twins Eric, played by Casey Hoekstra, and LeeAnn (Cassandra Bissell), who can’t seem to stop screaming at each other. Together they run Marty's Supper Club, named after their late mother.

Game servers Charlotte and the other Charlotte (who hates being called that) are true lifelong friends Celia A. Klehr, a co-founder of Forward and current company executive, and Sarah Day, a decades-long ensemble member of the American Players Theater.

Klehr's Charlotte is tougher, more jaded, while Day's Charlotte is warm and trusting. They work with Ted (Casem AbuLughod), arguably the only sane character, to stop his colleagues from making rash decisions.

The twists in “Murder Girl” begin when another waitress, Jen (Liz Cassarino), appears on television and reports that her 25-year-old daughter Emily has been found murdered in the woods. Now the supper club is the scene of a murder mystery, and everyone is pointing the finger.

Directed by Jen Uphoff Gray, “Murder Girl” presents the feel of a real Midwestern family. Hoekstra and Bissell seem like siblings, and when Bissell's LeAnn becomes frustrated, Ted is easily able to calm her down. Designed by Steve Barnes, the set feels intimate as the characters run out of the snow, shaking and stomping their boots.

The twists and turns of “Murder Girl” are captivating as Armbruster deftly places clues without showing her hand. It's tempting to try to solve the puzzle, like a game of Clue.

And despite the talk of murder, the mood is nostalgic. A Spotted Cow sign behind the bar and pictures on the walls remind me of my own memories of a small town in Wisconsin.

Everyone's values ​​are called into question as these characters turn against each other after the murder. Who and what will win? The family bonds they have built over the years? Or the fear and pain from the past?

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