Teen Murder Mystery a Hit in Renovo Saturday Night
By Christopher Miller
RENOVO – The Heritage Park Players put on quite the show Saturday night for an audience of nearly 100 at the Renovo Elks Lodge.
“Echoes of Maxwells: A Teen Murder Mystery” was performed by an all-star cast of Bucktail Middle/High School and Renovo Elementary School students.
Just what did the kids discover at the famously-haunted Maxwell Building? That is what the show hoped to answer.
Taking place at the Maxwell Building, a building known far and wide by the people of Renovo and beyond as a former seller of fine home furnishings, the kids discover a secret hiding spot and an old map which they take to local radio disc jockey DJ Spin because he likes to hang around the old building from time to time.
Annoyed that the kids discovered the old map, DJ Spin takes the kids and the map down to the police station for Officer Daniels to take a look at. The map, bedazzled with symbols all over it, is assumed by the kids to be connected to an unsolved murder case.
Thinking the map may be connected to a former student of the school, Officer Daniels instructs the kids to go see Mr. Thompson, their Principal, at Bucktail High School. Mr. Thompson recognized the map as being from a student from the class of ’76, a bright kid who always got into trouble. He suggested that he call the former student’s mother, Mrs. Baxter, to come and discuss her son Eddie.
Mrs. Baxter entered with her daughter, Rose, who was completely unaware that she had a brother. Rose hilariously collapsed into her mothers arms multiple times during the performance.
Having only been two years old at the time of her brother’s disappearance, Rose is flabbergasted to learn all about her brother from this chance meeting with her mother and the school principal. Eddie was fascinated by the Maxwell Building, having spent lots of time there exploring.
Officer Daniels recommended that DJ Spin publicize the finding of the map on the radio in order to try to dredge up some new information in the unsolved murder case.
Back at the police station, Officer Daniels makes the connection between the old map and Eddie’s case. He suggests they follow the clues on the map to see where it leads. DJ Spin describes the symbols on the map as being markings for places around town, each tied to a memory in Eddie’s life such as a music note for the record store, and a book symbolizing the library.
More closely examining the map, a symbol for a tree shows up prominently. Mrs. Baxter explained that the tree was always being drawn on by Eddie, that it represented their family’s roots, and it was located in a park that Eddie had visited often.
The group walked over to the park and discovered the initials “EB” carved into the side, along with the words “safe and sound” and the current date. They then realized that Eddie was never murdered, Mrs. Baxter explained that she had sent him away in order to protect him from great danger at the time of his disappearance, but he found his way home thanks to the map the kids discovered.
At this time, DJ Spin reveals that Eddie was also his brother, meaning that Mrs. Baxter is his mother as well, making Rose their sister. Rose then, again, hilariously faints on stage at the word of this.
DJ Spin was also protecting Eddie, saying that Eddie had a unique talent of hearing songs before they were released, but it only happened while he was in the Maxwell Building, swearing the songs that he heard were from the supposed ghosts of the building. Eddie was being protected from those who might want to exploit his special, unique gift for money.
Eddie’s disappearance was completely staged by DJ Spin and Mrs. Baxter for her son’s protection.
“May he always stay one step ahead of the Top 40.”
The cast consisted of Kedda Bissman, Matthew Miles, Martin Lewis, Aady Marr, Aaron Probst, James McKee, Thomas Shady, Emma Miles, and Gemma Braunns and included guest performances by Terry O’Laughlin and Autumn Gavlock. Martin Lewis also helped with lights and sound.
Music selections were performed by:
•”Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey, performed by Gemma Braunns and Emma Miles
•”I Wanna Dance with Somebody” by Whitney Houston, performed by Kedda Bissman
•”Lean on Me” by Bill Witherspoon, performed by Matthew Miles
•”Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper, performed by Autumn Gavlock and the girls
• “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor, performed by Aaron Probst
•”He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” by The Osmonds, performed by Terry O’Laughlin
•”Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey, danced to and sung by the full cast.
The play was written by Mary George Rhone, who said it was inspired by friends of her high school class and experiences from their schooldays. It was directed by Mary George, Autumn Gavlock and Terry O’Laughlin, all dedicated members of Heritage Park.
The Greater Renovo Area Heritage Park donated $600 from this event to the Bucktail Band Booster Club.