Funeral for a Gangster at Belrose Theatre

The Belrose Theatre presents "Funeral for a Gangster" directed by Margie Belrose January 6 through February 25 at the Belrose Theatre, 1415 Fifth Avenue, San Rafael, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:15 p.m. The play includes dinner, dancing, champagne and a murder mystery with audience participation for $38.50 with a 5 % discount if you dress in1920's garb.

As you walk through the doors of the Belrose Theatre you are going back in time to 1928 into a speakeasy called "Ruby's Place."

Tonight is a memorial service for Vito, "The Gut" Marzetti who was gunned down last week in a gangland slaying. As a dear friend of Vito's, you have been invited here to pay your respects to the family.

You are greeted at the door by Vito's son, Joey, and Tony, the house security, who frisk you. Then you are brought to a table. The piano player, Jay Brower with Billy Brewster on the drums are playing music from the Roaring 20's.

The cast members are mixing with the audience before they take their places for the funeral. They are waiting for the arrival of the priest to begin. Steve Booker arrives as an Irish-Catholic priest, and the show begins. The mock mourners are Vito's widow, Lena, a typical gangster's moll played by Rana Kent and Vito's children, Joey, played by Mark Hill, and Vito's daughter Ruby, played by Margie Belrose. After the priest leaves, Frankie, Vito's other son, arrives, also played by Steve Booker who steals the show with Frankie's split personalities, each in a different dialect including the mime, Marcel Marceau. Special attention should also be paid to Marcia Harp as Trixie, a talented blues singer, and Glen Caspillo as an FBI agent.

Upcoming productions at the Belrose Theatre include "The House of Blue Leaves"-March 31st through April 22, 2006, a Marin Classic Production and "The Bald Soprano' in June, 2006 an Alfredo Fidano production.

For information: belrosefun@yahoo.com
By Flora Lynn Isaacson for Annette Lust