New Rigby theater marks opening with weekend premiere of ‘Something’s Afoot’
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RIGBY — The set is painted, the curtains are hung, and a brand new theater is ready to debut its first show this weekend in Rigby.
“Something’s Afoot” will premiere Friday evening at the all-new Stage Door Repertory Theatre, 3804 East Indian Creek Loop, Unit 6. The satirical musical pokes fun at Agatha Christie-style mysteries, with music reminiscent of 1930s English music halls.
Theater owner Nick Charles says each character is a humorous representation of a stereotypical mystery figure. The cast includes:
- Lettie, the “saucy maid,” played by Alicia Gabrielsen
- Clive, the butler, played by Todd Kelson
- Hope Langdon, the ingenue, played by Liberty Miller
- Dr. Grayburn, played by Graeme Allen
- Nigel Rancour, the “dissolute nephew,” played by Thomas Bugg
- Colonel Gillweather, the “old Army man,” played by Matthew Gardner
- Lady Grace Manley-Prowe, the grand dame, played by Kaatia Larsen
- Miss Tweed, the “tweedy, elderly, amateur detective,” played by Phylicia Fife
- Geoffrey, the juvenile, played by Sebastian Doren
- Flint, the caretaker, played by Nick Charles
Nick said he has enjoyed playing the role of Flint many times and is excited to reprise it in his theater’s inaugural show.
“It’s a great role,” he said. “(Flint) has some of the funniest lines in the show.”
“It’s a timeless character,” said his wife, Julie. “He’s played it eight times.”
Eight times playing the same role sounds like a lot, but it’s just one of many characters Nick has brought to life in his long theater career.
Nick said he caught the acting bug while attending high school in Covina, California, and never looked back. In fact, for 11 years, he and Julie owned a theater in Anaheim, California, by the same name — Stage Door Repertory Theatre. The couple says it had a good run, but social restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic ultimately forced the theater to close. That act accelerated their planned retirement to Idaho, where they had been vacationing every summer for years.
Still, they couldn’t leave the theater world behind in California, and Nick quickly found his spot in east Idaho. In 2023, he joined the cast of the very first show at Center Stage Theatre in Idaho Falls as Jacob in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” The show began before their move was complete, and Julie had to fly in to see him perform.
Shortly after closing the show at Center Stage, Nick was recruited to play Jacob again at the Playmill Theatre in West Yellowstone, Wyoming, for the 2023 season.
It was only a matter of time before Nick would reopen his own theater, with the blessing and support of his fellow east Idaho theater owners and friends. He and Center Stage owner Justin Dabell have remained close and have helped each other’s theaters thrive, sharing equipment and encouragement over the last few years.
There are some similarities between the two local theaters, and some very big differences, Nick says. Like Center Stage, Stage Door Repertory Theatre is located in an industrial-looking community of warehouse-like buildings. It’s a convenient setup for both theaters, as the other businesses are closed during showtimes, making parking plentiful.
While Center Stage Theatre seats about 250 and produces all family-friendly shows, Stage Door has a more intimate 70-seat setup and plans to offer both family-friendly shows and some that are geared toward an adult audience.
“I don’t really have a desire to do ‘Wizard of Oz’ and ‘Joseph,'” Nick said, “or all the Rodgers and Hammersteins. I’ve done all those. We are going to do some that are maybe a little edgier.”
For example, “Noises Off,” which is scheduled for this June, is “not a family show,” Nick said. It’s a “play-within-a-play” comedy that shows the chaos that goes on backstage among the cast of a flopping production.
Stage Door Repertory Theatre has also announced plans to produce “Nunsense,” “Nunsense A-Men” — which is the same production as “Nunsense,” but with the characters played by men instead of women — and “A Christmas Story,” all in 2026.
“Something’s Afoot” premieres Friday, Jan. 23, at 7:30 p.m. The live musical mystery will be performed Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays through Feb. 14, at 7:30 p.m. each night. There is also a 2 p.m. matinee planned for Saturday, Feb. 7. Tickets are available here on Stage Door Repertory Theatre’s website.
For more information on upcoming shows and auditions, visit the theater’s website, or follow the theater on Facebook .