Chagrin Valley Little Theatre

Press Releases

"The Maltese Bodkin" blends Shakespeare with Sam Spade at CVLT

CHAGRIN FALLS, OH - Chagrin Valley Little Theatre's first play of the new decade, The Maltese Bodkin by David Belke, mingles the fictional worlds of 17th century England and 1930s America in a twisted tale of murder, intrigue and running gags that's designed to delight both oddball comedy and Shakespeare fans alike. The play opens at 40 River Street in historic downtown Chagrin Falls on January 15 and plays Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 PM through February 6.

The story follows a detective named Birnam Wood (Bobby Thomas). When Wood's partner is found dead with a dagger in his back (a bodkin decorated with Maltese markings), the hard-boiled 'private dick' has to search for the killer amidst a cast of crazy suspects portrayed by a band of nine talented actors under the direction of David Malinowski. The familiar Shakespearian characters include Viola (Kacey Durbin), Charlotte and Puck (Amy Pelleg), Antionio, Donalbain, Guildenstern and Sebastian (Dan Jacobsen), Iago, Falstaff and Ratcliff (Mark DePompei), Catesby and Fang (Roger Atwell), Mercutio and Rozencrantz (Nate Earley), Richard III and Prospero (Rollin DeVere) and Quickly (Yvonne Pilarczyk).

Written by native Canadian David Belke, Bodkin was first produced for the 1990 Edmonton Fringe Theatre Festival, the largest theatre festival in North America. The Maltese Bodkin is a two-hour adventure that’s as packed with laughs as it is layered with literary jokes.

Tickets for the The Maltese Bodkin are $16 adult, $12 student/senior. For tickets to all Chagrin Valley Little Theatre productions and events, call 440-247-8955 (Mon-Sat, 1-6 PM) or visit www.CVLT.org for online ticketing at no extra cost. 40 River Street, Chagrin Falls, OH 44022.

Chagrin Valley Little Theatre is generously funded by Cuyahoga County residents through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. The Ohio Arts Council helped fund Chagrin Valley Little Theatre with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

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