Theatre Productions Taking the Stage this Fall

>> AS FALL BEGINS, SO DOES THE RETURN OF THE THEATER SEASON. WE ARE NOW JOINED BY ARTS REPORTER TOM HALL TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT'S COMING UP IN THE WORLD OF ARTS IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. >> IT'S ALWAYS VIBRANT. AND YES, IT IS. AND I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A WONDERFUL PLAY IN CAPE CORAL AT THE BELL THEATER CALLED. >> GAME'S AFOOT. TELL ME ABOUT IT. >> IT'S A VERY INTERESTING PLAY BECAUSE OF WHO IT'S PATTERNED AFTER IT'S BUILT AROUND AN ECCENTRIC CHARACTER BY THE NAME OF WILLIAM CHILE. NOW IN 18 99, HE TEAMED UP WITH ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE TO ADAPT TO SHERLOCK HOLMES NOVELS FOR THE STAGE. TO GIVE THE RENOWNED BRITISH DETECTIVE A DISTINCT THE THEATRICAL PERSONA. JOE, LET DRESSED HIM IN THE DEER STALKER. CAPTAIN, THE LONG TRAVELING CLOAK AND GAVE HIM THAT CURVE. BRIAR PIPE AND MAGNIFYING GLASS BECAME HIS TRADEMARKS. JOE, LET'S ALSO THE ONE WHO HAD HOMES SAY ITS ELEMENTARY. MY DEAR WATSON AND WITH ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE'S BLESSING TO LET WENT ON TO PLAY THE PART OF SHERLOCK HOLMES OVER 1300 TIMES BETWEEN THE PLAYS PRAYER IN 18. 99 AND HIS RETIREMENT. 33 YEARS LATER. TURNING TO WHAT THE MONIKER THE AMERICAN SHERLOCK HOLMES. >> I READ THAT THE PLAY IS SET IN A CASTLE IN CONNECTICUT. THAT SOUNDS VERY INTERESTING. IT IS. >> GILLETTE MADE A FORTUNE PLAYING SHERLOCK HOLMES WITH A PORTION OF HIS EARNINGS. HE BUILT A 14,000 SQUARE-FOOT CASTLE ON 184 ACRES OVERLOOKING THE CONNECTICUT RIVER. HE NAMED THE EDIFICE 7 SISTER STATES BUT REFERRED TO IT AS THE PILE OF ROCKS BUILT FROM CONNECTICUT FIELDSTONE AT A COST OF 1.1 MILLION DOLLARS IN 1919, THE MEDIEVAL GOTHIC CASTLE IS 24 ROOMS WITH WOULD LIGHT SWITCHES, ROLL AWAY TABLES, PUZZLE LOCKS CRAFTING MIRRORS AND SECRET DOORS AND PASSAGE WAYS THAT ALLOWED TO LET THE SPYING IS GAS, INCLUDING ALBERT EINSTEIN AND CALVIN COOLIDGE. IN ORDER TO TIME, DRAMATIC ENTRANCES FOR THEIR AMUSEMENT. TO LET EVEN BUILT A QUARTER SCALE NARROW GAUGE RAILROAD. COMPLETE WITH BRIDGES TRESTLES. >> AND A TUNNEL. THAT'S FASCINATING. TOM. SO WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF PERFORMING ARTS THIS WEEKEND? >> WELL, I HAVE THE VERY INTERESTING PLEASURE TO GO TO CYPRUS. LAKE SCHOOL OF THE ARTS YESTERDAY TO SEE A PLAY THAT THEY'RE PERFORMING. CARMEN, CHRIS ARE TEACHES THERES CYPRUS, LAKE SCHOOL OF THE ARTS, INCLUDING A CLASS AND DEVISED THEATER. NOW, INSTEAD OF STARTING WITH THE SCRIPT, DEVISE THEATER BEGINS WITH AN ENSEMBLE COMING TOGETHER TO CREATE SOMETHING FROM SCRATCH. EVERYONE CONTRIBUTES FROM ACTORS, DIRECTORS, DESIGNERS, EVEN MUSICIANS. ANOTHER PIECE OF ALL STREET IMPROVISATION TRIAL AND ERROR AND LOTS OF CREATIVE DIALOGUE. KRIS ARDENHURST, THEIR CLASSES ARE CREATING A DEVICE PIECE RIGHT NOW TO CELEBRATE THE 100 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BUREAU'S HOME IN FORT MYERS. AND THIS WEEKEND, THEY'RE PERFORMING ANOTHER DEVISE PLY. A MONSTER CALLS, WHICH IS BASED ON A NOVEL BY PATRICK NESS, ABOUT A 13 YEAR-OLD BRITISH BOY, HIS MOTHER DYING OF CANCER, KEEPS TELLING HIM HOW THEY FIND THIS NEW TREATMENTS GOING TO WORK. BUT DEEP DOWN, HE KNOWS BETTER AND HIS NEED TO LET HER GO TRIGGERS NIGHTMARES AND WHAT YOU'RE TRAINED. HIS BACKYARD COMES TO LIFE. NOW, ALTHOUGH THIS PLAY IS PERFORMED ENTIRELY BY TEENS, A MONSTER CALLS IS THE MOST UNUSUAL AND ADDING GUARD PLAY. YOU'LL SEE THIS YEAR AND PERHAPS THE BEST PLAY TO COME TO SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SINCE THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME, WHICH WAS ALSO DEVISED PLIGHT. HERE'S THE NIGHTMARE SCENE FROM THAT PLY. >> TOM HALL, AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU FOR KEEPING US UP TO DATE. >> ON THESE REALLY AWESOME STORIES I ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO BEING HERE EVERY THURSDAY AND I ALWAYS ENJOY. THANK YOU, TOM.