Vertigo Theatre unveils 2008-09 Mystery lineup

It’s shaping up to be some classic thinker’s theatre.
From mind-bending mystery plot twists in contemporary versions of Columbo and Sherlock Holmes to a bare-bones struggle with meth addiction in Cranked, Vertigo Theatre artistic director Mark Bellamy thinks there’s a lot to offer as he unveiled the year’s lineup Tuesday.
Bellamy said Vertigo has never been stronger after posting record-high subscription and attendance numbers and wanted to go back to classic themes for this year’s mystery series with every intention of stimulating intermission debates around who- dunnit.
“Seeing it live, the audience is an active participant,” said Bellamy, who plodded through nearly 100 scripts to nail down the five that will make up this year’s Mystery Series, running in conjunction with Vertigo’s Y Series, designed for young theatregoers.
“Our audiences are always trying to solve the crime as they go, so it’s not just the type of theatre where you just sit back and watch — you’re actively engaged in it.”