Thomas Gaddis paced backstage at the Black Rose Theatre Company in Brandon, Miss., script in hand as his fellow actors stood on stage just a few meters away rehearsing Act One, Scene One of the nonprofit’s upcoming production of “Death Trap.” For Gaddis, he is the most himself while walking in someone else’s shoes. Reading over his monologues, the actor prepared himself to take on the calculated narcissism that his character possessed.

Once the first scene came to a close, Gaddis stepped into view. Standing in front of the rows of empty seats, everything faded away as he imagined the crowd of people in front of him. His nerves—the adrenaline—all dissipated. He was no longer Thomas Gaddis; he had become Clifford Anderson, budding playwright full of excitement, eager to share his first play with his mentor, Sidney Bruhl.

“Being up there on stage, I feel more open than when I’m just having a normal day, talking to people at work,” Gaddis told the Mississippi Free Press. “I feel like I’m actually myself up there even though I’m being somebody else.”

Thomas Gaddis, pictured, will be adopting the role of playwright Clifford Anderson in the Black Rose Theatre Company’s production of Ira Levin’s “Death Trap.” Photo courtesy Black Rose Theatre

Gaddis’ first theatrical role was as the elephant bird in “Susical the Musical” when he was 5 years old. Since discovering the Black Rose Theatre last year, he has starred in local productions of “Beverly Hillbillies,” “One Acts” and “Spitfire Grill.” Opening night can be a nerve-wracking time for actors, and anticipating it can feel like a waiting game. Nevertheless, Gaddis appreciates the moment when cast and crew finally have something to show for all their time and effort.

Black Rose’s “Death Trap” launches on Thursday, April 24, and its final day is set for Sunday, May 4, 2025.

‘Some Clue-Esque Murder Mystery’

Alvin “Ben” Christmas, the director of Black Rose’s production of “Death Trap,” started off as an engineering major at Mississippi State University before falling into the community and university theater scenes in Starkville, Miss. After playing the lead in his first play in college, Christmas discovered a new way to express himself and couldn’t stop. He then moved to New York City to attend the Stella Adler Studio of Acting and subsequently worked as a professional actor in the area for three years.

“One of the best pieces of any sort of art form is that kind of self-discovery, and this is something that this (theater) provides. … It allows you to see yourself for who you are for the first time.” Christmas told the Mississippi Free Press.

Having recently moved back to Mississippi, Christmas offered to help out at the Black Rose Theatre. Given a list of this year’s plays in need of a director, he chose “Death Trap.”

“When I read the script, I originally went in with this idea of like, ‘This is gonna be some Clue-esque murder mystery,’ and then it ended up being way more self-aware than that, as well as playing with a lot of like interesting tropes, including that kind of, you know, twist,” he said. “There’s a lot of twists in ‘Death Trap’ versus like just a few twists I find in typical plays like that.”

“Death Trap” director Ben Christmas (left) and Black Rose Theatre Board President Krystal Gann (right) stand outside the nonprofit’s historical building near the play’s promotional poster. Photo by Amy Atwood

Affiliates of Black Rose or members of the Brandon community give recommendations for play productions through email or through the Black Rose’s physical mailbox. The play reading committee at the Black Rose chooses the plays for each season a year in advance by going through those recommendations, making sure to avoid any plays that have been performed in the area in the last three-to-five years to keep seasons new and fresh. Productions typically feature multiple different genres—one of which is always a murder mystery. Gleason Tire and Service sponsored “Death Trap,” this year’s murder-mystery production.

Manhattan-born novelist Ira Levin wrote “Death Trap,” which stars an old playwright, Sidney Bruhl, who is leaning toward the end of his career. He comes upon a masterpiece of a manuscript called “Death Trap” that Clifford Anderson, one of his former students, wrote. Bruhl jokes with his wife Myra that he should murder Anderson and take the script as his own. From there, things take a dark turn, and nothing is quite what it seems.

“‘Death Trap’ is a kind of a, I would call it a thriller comedy. It’s one location, it’s five characters, lots of twists and turns. There’s some murders in there and all that kind of stuff, but there’s also a lot of humor and a lot of self-awareness, so you really get to run the gambit on all of it.” Christmas continued. “I think when we come out and we even see a movie or look at a painting or listen to the music or watch a play, we don’t necessarily realize it, but we come there for an emotional experience, and I think very much (that) ‘Death Trap’ can give that to people.”

‘They Want Everyone’

The building from which the Black Rose performs was first a movie theater that Black residents used during segregation before it became a historical landmark donated to the Black Rose Theatre in 1958.

“Well when I first heard that, I just thought it was interesting because the building itself just has such a huge history of art … going from this kind of place where people could escape the kind of harsh realities of segregationist Mississippi to now today where the entire community gets to come together and escape reality in a different way.” Christmas said.

“When I first got here, I did not know the Black Rose was here. I was just looking online, and I found her,” Board President Krystal Gann said during a joint interview with Christmas. “I was so excited, and I came over, and they were so welcoming. I’ve been to other community theaters in several different states, and this is the most welcoming. They want everyone.”

This historical building in Brandon, Miss., has housed the Black Rose Theatre Company since 1958. Photo by Amy Atwood

The Black Rose has many volunteer committees as well as a board of 12 members, and a local business sponsors each play. Krystal Gann became president of the board back in October, the start of the nonprofit’s 33rd season. She has been involved in theater since high school when her theater teacher took her class to New York City to see a professional play, and that feeling of there being nothing else quite like it really stuck with her.

“Being part of the board has really helped me realize who I am as a person, and being president of the board, I absolutely love it,” Gann told the Mississippi Free Press. “I love having my hands in it and being able to work together with a group of people and make decisions that are best for this community theater to thrive.”

The community runs the Black Rose. As a 501c3 nonprofit, everything is volunteer-based, and the sponsorships of local businesses and the community go a long way. The actors, the board members, the committee members and the directors are all volunteers. The community shows out for all of the theater’s productions.

“Our mission has always been to serve the community and (to let) the community members that love the arts have a place where they can come and watch and where they can come and act.” Gann said.

How to Become Involved

Currently on its 33rd season, the Black Rose Theatre Company puts on six productions a year, including two musicals (one children’s musical), with each new season starting in October. Coming up after “Death Trap” and available for auditions are the “One Acts,” where community members can submit and direct short 30-minute plays they’ve written; “Four Old Broads,” a comedy; and “Tuck Everlasting,” a musical.

Rebecca Hampton (left), playing Helga Ten Drop, and Tonda Riley (right), playing Porter Milgrim, stand on the Black Rose stage rehearsing a scene for “Death Trap.” Photo courtesy Black Rose Theatre

Each play has six weeks of rehearsals, while musicals have eight, and shows run for two weeks from Thursday to Sunday. Running a play production requires many people who adopt a variety of roles: actors, directors, set builders, lighting technicians and backstage members, to name a few.

“I think people will see the theater and are like, ‘That’s very much something I’d love to participate in, but they do that, and I’ve never done that,’ and I would say—especially with our community here—that those are the people that we want,” Christmas said. “The prerequisite to be in the building is just to want to do it. Like, we just want you to want to.”

“I always tell people if you’re too afraid to do the onstage stuff, there are so many options,” Gann said, adding to Christmas’ statement. “You can be part of the board. You can be part of the backstage crew. It’s sort of baby steps to being on stage.”

“Death Trap” will be available from April 24 through April 27 and again from May 1 through May 4, 2025. The Black Rose sells tickets online for $20. Patrons can also buy concessions and tickets for themed raffles in person on the way inside. Yearly individual memberships cost $75 per person, saving ticketholders who see all six shows $45 a year. The theater offers military discounts and couple and family membership options as well. Buy tickets for “Death Trap” online here.

Read original article by clicking here.

A Playwright’s Desperation Fuels Black Rose’s ‘Death Trap’ in Brandon Theater

‘Some Clue-Esque Murder Mystery’

‘They Want Everyone’

How to Become Involved

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