Southwestern Michigan College’s Educational Talent Search (ETS) and Dowagiac’s Beckwith Theatre partnered to present a free two-week Summer Youth Program that attracted a record 39 participants from across the area.

Camp culminates with free public performances June 27 at 7 p.m. and June 28 at 2 p.m. of the five-scene spoof by Don Zolidis, “How to Get Away With a Murder Mystery.”

Besides color-coded killers, the detectives come cloaked in familiarity if you are reminded of Andy Griffith’s Matlock, Natasha Lyonne’s lie-detecting Poker Face, Britain’s Sherlock Holmes, Maine mystery writer Jessica Fletcher or Clue’s butler.

The camp is for students entering grades 6-12 with Ryan Murray returning as director. Murray, a former police officer, has been running the camp since 2019.

“Five vignettes poke fun at crime dramas,” Murray said. “Each time a different one is the killer. We try to pick flexible plays because we never know how many kids we’re going to have. About 75 percent came back from last year.”

“We started Monday and we’re halfway through rehearsals,” he said June 20. “They’re doing such a good job learning their lines, they’re ahead of schedule.”

Niles High School senior Lily Babler returns for her fourth year. “We did ‘A Christmas Carol’ in 2019,” then started theatre camp with her sisters, Donna and Annie, the three youngest of eight children.

Her post-high school plans remain uncertain.

“I like the people here,” Lily said. “It’s a good environment to be in.”

Krista Blanchard, 13, of Cassopolis, is at theatre camp for her first time as she enters eighth grade.

“I’ve done ETS since sixth grade. I signed up last year and got into Science Fair Camp. I like playing Mr. Burgundy. The lines are very funny,” Krista said. “Last year I auditioned for Disney Channel. I’ve wanted to be an actor for a while, so I took acting classes at the Savage Bean.”

Krista is a percussionist in band and likes doing art.

Stage Manager Baylee Bauman, who gets to hurl a “body” from the balcony, will be a junior at Brandywine High School.

Baylee organizes props, monitoring the script for when her crew of four “has to go out and move our stuff around. I’ve been doing it for four years now, both at my school and here. We move desks and chairs mostly, but there’s a pool table for one scene. At my school we have to put mic packs on people.”

“I either want to go into criminal psychology or theatre,” Baylee said.

Maddie Steenbeke, who debuted at 9, at 12 is a three-year veteran starting seventh grade at Dowagiac Middle School.

“I’ve made tons of friends, new friends every year from all different schools,” she said. “It’s so fun, and I wouldn’t have met these amazing people otherwise.

“During the school year I play saxophone in band and I’m going to do Girls on the Run. I flipped through the script a couple of times and Frazzled Woman kind of yelled to me. It’s awesome that every year there are more people,” Maddie said. “I got inspired (to try acting) when I watched ‘A Christmas Carol’ here at the Beckwith. I took improv and acting classes at South Bend Civic Theatre. I was in the ensemble for Dowagiac’s musical.”

Brady Frazier, Dowagiac sophomore, is in his fourth year at Beckwith. He sings in Hunter Schuur’s DUHS Chamber Choir, “but I’ve never had to learn lines in two weeks before. I like getting to be on stage, to play a character, to learn their personality and how they would do things differently than me. And I like making memories with the cast. My closest friends have come out of theatre.”

As Orange 1, he plays a senator. “I like being in charge,” Brady said, “telling people to calm down. I want to go into acting. It’s something I’m very passionate about and love. That would be a dream job.”

Dowagiac cast members include Brady Frazier, Orange 1; Taylor Higdon, Orange 2; Janessa Mariano, Orange 5; Hunter Steinman, Green 2; Madeline Steenbeke, Frazzled Woman 4; Nicki Thompson, Southern Gentleman; Alison Zink, Lady Indigo 3; Kadie Zink, Lady Indigo 2; Owen Killarney, stage crew; Emma Zink, stage crew; and Ashe McLeod, make-up.

Cassopolis: Krista Blanchard, Mr. Burgundy 1; Myles Christian, Mr. Burgundy 4; Samantha Fosdick, Lady Indigo 5; Madeline Miller, Lady Indigo 4; and Zhonnica Skorupa, Off White 3.

Edwardsburg: Jayden Bishop, Mr. Burgundy 3; Harlem Devito, British Detective; Aaliyah Garcia, Off White 4; Lexi-Rae Howell, Narrator 1; Elizabeth Sell, Orange 3; and Steven Solarek, Vik.

Marcellus: Payton Courtney, Green 3; Trent Allen, tech crew; and Tuxson Park, stage crew.

Niles: Annie Babler, Off White 5; Donna Babler, Lady Indigo 1, Green 5; Lily Babler, Mr. Burgundy 5; Ely Davis, Orange 4; Gwendolyn Lucas, Green 4; Zosia Olivia, Elderly Woman; Addison Thomas, Off White 2; Baylee Bauman, stage crew; Shara Bullock, stage crew; and Maxx Simpson, tech crew.

Stevensville: Izzi Prouty, Butler; Lia Prouty, Mr. Burgundy 2; and Liam Prouty, Off White 1.