Meet the Cast of THE VULTURES, a new gay murder mystery by Mark Ridge and part of our BRAND SPANKING NEW PLAY Series on Tuesday evenings. Jada Lashay Bell plays PAUL JONES, a sweet, gentle accountant.

The Vultures premiered Tuesday, June 2 and is now available on our YouTube Channel.

In the vein of And Then There Were None, Clue and Murder by Death, The Vultures puts a modern, comedic, gay spin on the haunted house/ mystery genre.

Jada LaShay Bell made her Proud Mary debut with the Vampire Lesbians of Sodom and will play Noleta in the upcoming Sordid Lives. She has a BFA in Theatre from Limestone College. Some of her favorite acting credits include Mattie Fae in August: Osage County, Penny in You Can’t Take It With You, Poppy in Noises Off, and Jimmy Wyvette in The Red Velvet Cake War. She has directed numerous shows at the Gaffney Little Theatre, where she serves as a board member.

The story takes place at Westmount Estate, on the 20th anniversary of the death of publishing magnate Simon West. As his six remaining relatives gather for the reading of his will, the mysterious housekeeper declares, “The relatives are swooping in like a wake of vultures ready to pick the carcass clean.”

Who will ultimately inherit the fortune? Will it be the charming realtor, the handsome male model, the dimwitted nail technician, the bitter old woman, the gay hairdresser, or the mild mannered accountant?

Throw in a priceless pocket watch, an androgynous housekeeper, an escaped mental patient, and a pair of reunited lovers and the result is murder, with a hefty dose of laughs

This reading is made possible by the generosity and permission of Mark Ridge and Heuer Publishing.

Based on works by John Willard, Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood.

Our BRAND SPANKING NEW VIRTUAL PLAY SERIES streams on Tuesday nights with a new work read by some of the Upstate’s most amazing actors. Explore some new playwrights, characters, voices, and social issues with us. Some of these plays are being considered for future production and your comments are encouraged.

We know times are tough during the COVID-19 pandemic, but if you enjoy this play, support our efforts to keep the Lights On at Proud Mary Theatre Company, South Carolina’s only LGBTQIA+ theatre company at proudmarytheatre.com