Sherlock holiday whodunit takes Joliet stage this weekend

The Joliet Drama Guild is bringing an adaption of a classic short mystery to the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The play is “Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Goose,” a title reminiscent of an old 19th century song: “Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat, please put a penny in the old man’s hat.”

Except in this case, both the hat and the goose are missing – and Sherlock is asked to discover the man’s identity.

Sherlock is only slightly interested in the mystery – until the Countess of Morcar’s “rare and valuable blue carbuncle is found stuffed down the goose’s throat,” according to the play’s official synopsis.

Pursuing the thief leads Sherlock and his loyal assistant Dr. John Watson through the streets of “wintry London,” according to the synopsis.

Sherlock Holmes isn’t traditionally associated with holiday entertainment, but that’s precisely the point.

“We were looking for something different – a bit of a mystery,” said Nicole Kaestner, artistic director for the Joliet Drama Guild and director for this show.

The play is based on the short Sherlock Holmes mystery story titled “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Kaestner said.

“Anyone who enjoys Sherlock Holmes should like this show,” Kaestner said.

We added a lot of Christmas spirit to it with some surprise musical numbers as well.”

—  Nicole Kaestner, artistic director for the Joliet Drama Guild and director of “Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Goose,”

Both the play’s author John Weagly and the play’s adapter Michael Menendian are Chicago-based, Kaestner said. Neither Weagly nor Menendian are part of the Joliet Drama Guild, Kaestner said.

The Joliet Drama Guild is not the first to produce this family-friendly holiday play, Kaestner said, but its production actually has an entire family among its cast members.

“We added a lot of Christmas spirit to it with some surprise musical numbers as well, [and] Christmas caroling throughout the play,” Kaestner said.

The run time for “Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Goose” is about 90 minutes, including intermission, Kaestner said.

“It’s a nice short show you can fit between your holiday shopping,” Kaestner said.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Goose”

WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday

WHERE: Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre, 201 W. Jefferson St., Joliet

TICKETS: Visit thejolietdramaguild.com or call 815-342-0247.