The Kimball Community Playhouse will present a performance of “Death by Chocolate” at 6 p.m Saturday, Feb. 28. The Feb. 28 performance is sold out so an additional performance on has been added at 1 p.m. Sunday, The Feb. 29 performance will be a “dessert matinee” performance with a price of $10 per person. Both performances will be in the Kimball Area High School cafetorium. Cast introductions Bill Cooper, a retired Kimball native, plays Henry Meadowbrook, the former owner of the Meadowbrook Health Resort. As this is Bill’s first theater experience, he was cast in the perfect part: his onstage time is less than five minutes. Gary Lagerstedt of Spicer, retired Kimball Elementary principal, portrays the butler-type character, Alfred Mellox. The butler always does it in a murder mystery. Did Alfred? Theresa Matthies, a St. Cloud State University student and Kimball Elementary employee, plays the ever-so-proper Lady Riverdale. She is owner of Lady Riverdale Chocolates, Inc., and new owner of Meadowbrook Health Resort. Will she do most anything to keep the grand re-opening from being ruined, even murder? Jeff Babbitt of Watkins portrays the lead role of John Stone, the cigarette-smoking, smart-aleck new manager of the health resort. John is cynical about everything, and no one – least of all him – seems to know how he got the manager job in the first place. Karen Cooper plays Dyslexia, Lady Riverdale’s assistant, reluctantly on loan to John Stone as his secretary. Dyslexia is quite annoyed by Mr. Stone’s quick wit and flippant attitude. Debi Capes tackles two roles in this production: the wonderful chef Edith Chiles and Margaret Daniels, a nosy reporter for a gossip magazine who seems to know too much. Ron Dockendorf, also known as the singing Eden Valley-Watkins bus driver, takes the part of Ralph Deadwood to new lows. Ralph is the gym manager and all-around cad who believes in muscle, sweat, and whatever is best for Ralph. Does that include knocking someone off to keep his job? Brent Nehring, a real man, plays Dick Simmering, a not-so-much man’s man. Dick loves the color pink and anything handmade and frilly. Dick is the aerobics instructor, or is he? Jody Margraf, another St. Cloud State student, plays the role of Henry Meadowbrook’s daughter, Sweet Pea. Sweet Pea doesn’t have a lot to say, but watch out when she does! Renee Isaacson, a first-grade teacher at Kimball Elementary, debuts as Anne the pill-popping resort nurse. Anne claims to know a lot about pulled groin muscles and sprained wrists, but nothing about helping someone who has been poisoned. Dave Milz, pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Kimball, returns to the stage as Ed Parlor. Parlor is a murder mystery writer who comes to the resort to write his newest novel, “Death by Chocolate.” Is he the sort of author who acts out his books before he writes them? Come and see all these great characters and community friends as you have never seen them before. For ticket information call Kimball Community Education at (320) 398-3781.
