Theatre in Franklin
Lucky Stiff: Murder Mystery Fun
Review of Lucky Stiff at Pull-Tight Players Theatre
Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the dress rehearsal of Lucky Stiff at the Pull-Tight Players Theatre in Franklin. Directed by Lenny West and based on Michael Butterworth’s novel The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo, this musical farce follows Harry Witherspoon, a miserable English shoe salesman who learns that his recently deceased uncle has left him a six-million-dollar inheritance—on one bizarre condition. To claim the money, Harry must take his uncle’s corpse on an all-expense-paid trip to Monte Carlo and complete a list of his uncle’s final wishes. If he fails, the fortune goes instead to Annabel Glick, representative of the Universal Dog Home of Brooklyn.
The show opens in medias res with a whirlwind of characters, a gun, and utter confusion—a lively foreshadowing of the farcical chaos to come. Soon we meet Harry, played by John Scamardella, lamenting his dull life in the song “Mr. Witherspoon’s Friday Night.” When he accepts the strange inheritance challenge, the story sweeps us into the glitz and absurdity of Monte Carlo. Meanwhile, Rita (Bre Hall) and Vinnie (Jeremy Hargis) plot to steal the money for themselves, setting up a tangle of hilarious misadventures.
The intimate Pull-Tight Players Theatre amplifies the show’s charm. Every performer delivers with wit and vocal skill, their accents and mannerisms distinct and delightful—particularly Scamardella’s prim British tone and Hall’s brassy New York flair. Costumes add another layer of comedy and color: Rita’s cheetah-print outfit and voluminous hair perfectly match her fiery personality, while Harry’s bright yellow shirt and his uncle’s purple suit bring visual playfulness to the stage.
The creative set design heightens the humor—whether through puppets in a skydiving sequence or bubbles and blue lighting during a scuba-diving scene. These clever touches made the audience laugh while drawing us deeper into Harry’s absurd adventure.
Having gone in knowing nothing about Lucky Stiff, I found the twists and ending both surprising and satisfying. The performance balanced suspense and silliness beautifully, making it one of the most entertaining musicals I’ve attended. Lucky Stiff runs through October 18 at Pull-Tight Players Theatre. Although tickets are sold out, a waitlist is available online—well worth joining for this witty, whimsical show.
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Christina Vongsiharath was born and raised in Murfreesboro, TN, and attends Middle Tennessee State University, majoring in Music Industry and minoring in Finance. She loves performing and is a clarinetist with MTSU’s Wind Ensemble and Clarinet Choir. She also plays the erhu (Chinese fiddle) and is a part of MTSU’s Chinese Music Ensemble. After she graduates, she plans on attending graduate school for ethnomusicology and wants to become a professor teaching students about non-western instruments.
