Clackamas Community College’s theater program has returned to Neimeyer for its first production in almost 20 months with the show “Private Eyes,” written by Steven Dietz and directed by Jim Eikrem. The small cast of five keeps the audience at the edge of their seats while going through the twists and turns of this “comedy of suspicion,” as Eikrem would call it.

Opening night of “Private Eyes” will be on Thursday, Nov. 18, and will run until Sunday Nov. 21. Thursday, Friday and Saturday’s shows will be at 7:30 p.m. and the Sunday matinee will be at 2:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased through the CCC website.

The story is one that requires audience members to stay enga

ged to understand the journey the characters will take you on. The plot thickens with every new scene. One of the actors, Traveler Gates, said “I would say audience members keep your ears out for lines that are repeated.” A very helpful hint to hold close when watching the story unfold. 

“Private Eyes” will run from Thursday, Nov. 18 until Sunday, Nov. 21. Photo by Joseph Lohmolder.

The production is set in a casting room, restaurant and therapist office. The set, which usually includes a small table and two chairs, is straightforward yet used in a way that gives the simple items so much drama and more than what meets the eye.  

“Private Eyes” has many well-written monologues for the male lead, Mathew. Along with fabulous speeches, Jacob Dreyer, who plays the role of Matthew said to The Clackamas Print that his favorite thing about being a part of this production is “that I get to be insane. And I love it. I get to go out like a crazy whirlwind. Like I’m neurotic and crazy, 

it’s great — that’s my favorite, like Gene Wilder I just get to go over the top.”

The cast is masked throughout the entire play, using plastic see-through masks for audience members to get some normalcy while still upholding to COVID-19 guidelines. Many of the cast members mentioned the masks being annoying and uncomfortable, but Gates told The Print when asked about how they felt about acting in a mask that “Personally, I have gotten used to the mask, I think it would be honestly a little bit weird to go out in front of a bunch of people without [the mask].”

Audience members are expected to follow the common COVID-19 guidelines of wearing a mask indoors and to practice social distancing.

If you love suspense, drama and comedy, “Private Eyes” is a play for you. Be ready to release your anticipation and let the play speak for itself. This story is so full of loops that when you think you have figured the whole thing out, you better guess again!

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"Private Eyes" will run from Thursday Nov. 18 until Sunday, Nov. 21. Slideshow photos by Joseph Lohmolder.