Cape Rep’s BoldCo Tackles Ludwig’s ‘Baskerville’

Ken Ludwig's “Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery,” opening at Cape Rep on Thursday, March 6 and running through March 8, is notable in two important ways. 

The play itself turns Arthur Conan Doyle's classic "Hound of the Baskervilles" into a murderously funny fast-paced adventure about everyone’s favorite detective solving his most notorious case. Baskerville also showcases Cape Rep's Bold Company (BoldCo), their program for Cape Cod residents age 55 and up who want to try doing theater in a fun and friendly rehearsal and production process.

 The company, in its fourth year, features 22 actors from Provincetown to Sandwich taking the stage. Director Julie Allen Hamilton, a Cape Rep veteran of more than 30 years, recalled recently that the program launched out of COVID as a way to bring people together after the years of isolation. 

 It was especially designed for those with little or no experience but lots of enthusiasm, she said. "I am still excited about this program," Hamilton said. "It's gratifying and fun and a constant learning experience." 

 She knows that not everyone is ready to try it. 

"The idea of getting up on stage is horrifying to some," Hamilton said. "These people are saying yes!" 

Bobby Parr of Harwich has been a member since 2022 and is playing several roles in Baskerville. His wife, Lynne Zalesak, joined the following year "after seeing how much fun my husband was having!" she said. Both had been involved in theater before, and Parr said he loves the way Cape Rep supports the participants. "They make sure there is a place/part for each of us." 

 One of the challenges of the play is that accents including German, Standard British, Cockney, Devon and Scottish are needed for a number of the characters. Actors like Parr, who plays Nurse MacKeeble with a Scottish accent, and Andrew Pelletier of Harwich, who will be playing Dr. Watson, worked with Cape Rep's voice and speech coach Alison Weller on the multiple dialects. 

"She is wonderful, versatile and very talented," Pelletier said.

 The comedy moves quickly, with a lot of snappy dialog. 

"It's a challenge for the company," Hamilton said, "and they are held to a pace." Karen Colucci of East Harwich enjoyed that experience, especially finding it "more interesting to interact with the other actors than have a monologue." 

 Not every job requires speaking. In addition to acting, Pam North is the lead foley in the production. Foley is an old radio term for creating everyday sound effects on stage. Action takes place from the desolate moors of the Scottish countryside to the streets of London. With some household objects and human-made sounds along with other instruments, "they create a soundscape...the mud on the moors, the bustle of the city of London," said Hamilton. 

 Those who want to be backstage can "help with lines, work with the lighting crew, learn stage management and more," Hamilton said. "We tailor an experience for each person." 

 The program meets its actors where they are, she added. 

"Some walk with a cane or can't stand for long. Some need a ramp or a chair for balance." People are often afraid of having to memorize lines. "It's good practice for the brain," Hamilton said, "and there is always a prompter," she added. "Learning how to call for a line is part of it."