MURDERS
SHE WROTE, Inc.
Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre
Touring Central Florida including Tampa,
St. Pete, Clearwater, Orlando and more!
Contact Maria Sumnick Buckley
813-727-7012 or 813-715-4736
Danny-Ray Polson
DANNY-RAY POLSON has been active in the performance community in Tampa
for well over 15 years. He got his start, as many often do, performing in
school plays, chorus, and puppet shows from kindergarten through junior high and
with his church groups. During high school, Polson performed with the King High
School (Tampa, FL) Chorus, Show Chorus, Pride Ensemble, Gospel Choir, and
All-County Honor Chorus (Hillsborough County).
While in college (University of South Florida), Polson became a supporter of the
Village Players (Valrico, FL), doing his first community theatre role on their
stage (Leonard Vole in Witness for the Prosecution). Since his start
there in 1988, he has been an actor, stage manager, lighting technician, special
events coordinator, house manager, resident production assistant, and the
instructor for the Village Players' youth acting class. He has directed three
youth showcases, the one-act play "Oedi" (which won him "Best Direction of a
One-Act"), and the dramatic comedy Cheaper By the Dozen. Other community
theatres Polson has performed with include Stage Door of Brandon (Florida), The
Savannah Theatre (Georgia), and the ASC Masquers (Savannah, GA).
Outside of MurderS She Wrote, Polson has also done professional work with local
troupes such as Pig's Eye Studio, Shows To Go!, and Kids on the Block (Tampa).
Polson has toured nationally with Bits n' Pieces Puppet Theatre since 1999,
performing in giant body puppet productions of "Cinderella and the Chinese
Slipper," "Rip Van Wynkle," "Puss in Boots," "The Ugly Duckling Starring Pinky
Flamingo," "Aesop's Oldest Fable: The Dinosaur and the Ant," and "The Musical
Tale of Peter Rabbit." In 2005, Polsom Toured Eastern Europe with
Bits N' Pieces stopping in Budapest, Bratislava, and performing at the
International Puppet Festival in Prague. He has also done contract work as an artist in education
at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, the Arts Council of Hillsborough
County, and a storyteller for the Tampa Museum of Art. He also did a summer of
party clown work with Clowning Around as Mr. Bertie.
Polson's last few stage credits include Mama Rabbit in "The Musical Tale of
Peter Rabbit," Great Grand Antie in "The Dinosaur and the Ant," Leslie Arthur in
"Love, Sex, and the IRS," and Herod in "Jesus Christ Superstar." He was also an
extra in the independent film, "Dropped Frames," which premiered at the Sarasota
(Florida) Film Festival in February 2004
Polson has been with MurderS She Wrote since August of 2002 when he was called
in to be the understudy for Fr. O'Clueless in Murder at the Class Reunion of
St. Cecilia's All-Girl School. In September of that same year, he
won the role of Fritz in Murder on Budget Cruise Line. He is an
understudy for both Star-Lite and Crystal-Lite (and Super Bear) in Murder in
Sparkleville, and is understudy for the role of Repete in Murder on the
19th Hole. You can now see Polson as Will B. Done in the newest
MurderS She Wrote show
Last Will and TestaMint.
When he is not performing in shows, you might spy Polson at the
sound table, as he is also a back-up sound technician for the troupe.
Polson prides himself on being a performer, though budget cuts to the Arts in
the past two years has made it difficult for ALL performers. Polson
urges all audiences to support the Arts either in funds or volunteer work so
troupes like MurderS She Wrote can continue to provide quality entertainment.
