ISM's Fall Play Brings Comedy, Chaos and a Touch of Robotics to the Stage

A murder mystery is supposed to keep audiences guessing. At The International School of Minnesota (ISM), the audience may find itself wondering what could possibly go wrong next.

That's the premise behind The Play That Goes Wrong, ISM's fall theater production, which will be performed Nov. 5 and 6 at 6:30 p.m. in the Leila C. Saad Performing Arts Center at ISM.

The comedy follows an amateur theater company attempting to stage a murder mystery. Unfortunately for the performers, and fortunately for the audience, the production is plagued by missed cues, malfunctioning props, collapsing set pieces and a series of increasingly ridiculous mishaps.

For Drama Director Charlie Diefenbach-Healy, the show offered an opportunity to challenge students in a different way, particularly those working behind the scenes.

"I chose this production because it is a technically hard show to pull off, and I wanted to push our technical theatre students more than we have in the past," Diefenbach-Healy said.

The production has also become a collaborative effort across ISM's campus. The school's robotics team helped automate elements of the show, while volunteers contributed to building the set and developing the mechanics needed to make its many onstage mishaps possible.

The technical demands are a significant part of what makes the production distinctive, combining theater, engineering and creative problem-solving to create the illusion of a production falling apart in real time.

Despite the complicated mechanics behind the scenes, Diefenbach-Healy said the cast's enthusiasm is what makes the show especially enjoyable.

"People should come see our show because it's absolutely hilarious and the kids are having so much fun doing this, which just makes the show even more enjoyable to watch," Diefenbach-Healy said.

Performances are scheduled for Nov. 5 and 6 at 6:30 p.m. The show runs approximately two hours, including a short intermission.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students, teachers and seniors, and will be available at the door. The production is recommended for audiences ages 8 and older and includes simulated gunshot sound effects and prop gun.