Solve a holiday whodunit alongside Sherlock Holmes with the Whitefish Theatre Co.

An unrelenting rollercoaster of mystery and side-splitting laughter with holiday flavor, the Whitefish Theatre Co. brings a Sherlock Holmes mystery to the stage in December.  

The dazzling whodunit “The Game’s Afoot: Holmes For The Holiday” by Ken Ludwig runs Dec. 6, 7, and 8 and Dec. 12, 13, 14, and 15 at the O’Shaughnessy Center in Whitefish. There will be a sneak preview performance on Dec. 5. All performances are at 7:30 p.m. except for matinee performances at 4 p.m. on Dec. 8 and 15. 

It’s Christmas Eve in 1936 and Broadway star William Gillette, admired the world over for his leading role as Sherlock Holmes, is at his Connecticut castle. Much to his mother Martha’s chagrin, Gillette invites his quirky, fellow cast members to the castle, promising a weekend filled with merriment and joy. However, when one of Gillette’s glitzy and glamorous guests is murdered, the survivors are trapped inside a fun house of hidden passageways, gadgets, and trick mirrors where any of them could be the killer. It is then up to Gillette himself, as he assumes the persona of his beloved Holmes and uses the crime-solving skills he is famous for on stage, to track down the killer before the next victim appears. 

At the helm of this show is returning Director Jake Carr, who most recently directed “Silent Sky.” 

“I describe the tone of this play as a ‘sinister comedy,’” says Carr. “There will be huge laughs and even bigger gasps. The show is a rollercoaster ride through several genres: clever whodunit, tense ‘hiding a crime’ thriller, and classical farce, all wrapped in twinkling lights and tinsel.”  

It’s a departure from “Silent Sky,” which Carr describes as a tender historical romance.  

“With ‘Holmes for the Holidays’, I get to create a splashy blockbuster spectacle,” he said. “I've had a blast flexing such different artistic muscles. And as a horror fanatic, I got to stage a seance. Bucket list item for sure.” 

Starring in this production is Michael Oaks as William Gillette, Cathy Kraft as Martha Gillette, Scott Plotkin as Felix Geisel, Dawn Watland as Madge Geisel, Isaac Schroeder as Simon Bright, Amanda Schramm as Daria Chase and Terry Lynn Mattson as Inspector Goring.  

“The ensemble includes longtime WTC collaborators and brand-new faces, ranging in age from 20s to 70s,” Carr said. “They have a wide variety of life experiences and have brought out thrilling, surprising performances from one another.” 

Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and $10 for students. Tickets to the sneak preview performance on Dec. 5 are $12 for adults and $10 for students and are available for purchase at the box office on the night of the show only.  

All other tickets can be purchased on WTC’s website at www.whitefishtheatreco.org, at the Box Office at 1 Central Avenue in Whitefish, or by calling 862-5371. Box Office Hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and one hour before a performance.  

The show is sponsored by Judy and John Melin, Kristin Zuckerman of Engel & Völkers, Trovare, Glacier Bank, and Stuart Green of Masterpiece Carpet One.