Pizza Bomber Play

“Pizza,” With No Cheese
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“The Pizza Bomber Play”
(A Devoted Surrender)
at
Basement Transmissions
A Theater Review

Departing from his usual comic flair, an Erie-area playwright wrought forth a biodrama from a 2003 local crime that made international news.

Best known for his dinner theater and annual Canterbury Feast productions, David Durst presents “The Pizza Bomber Play: (A Devoted Surrender)” at Erie’s Basement Transmissions.

Telling the story of Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, the show is a depiction of factual and fictional events surrounding her life and her personal relationships—some good, some not so good—and the criminal actions leading up to a thwarted PNC Bank robbery on August 28, 2003, that led to the death of pizza delivery man Brian Wells.

A solid, believable cast draws the audience into the drama.

The show is narrated by William Hunter, who portrayed her lifelong flame and eventual conspirator “Older Bill.” Diane Hardner as “Older Marjorie” and Jessie Rhoades as “Younger Marjorie” star as Marjorie during different stages of her life. A special shout-out to Steven George, who played the touching, innocent chump/pizza delivery man/victim.

Besides being worthwhile entertainment created by a local playwright, the biodrama addresses a serious subtopic: Marjorie’s issues with her bipolar personality.

Presented in support of Mental Health Awareness Month, the show illustrates how tragedies such as the bizarre Pizza Bomber case can occur when someone is afflicted with a mental disease.

Since the play addresses bipolar disorder and other untreated mental illnesses, a portion of ticket revenue will be donated to several Erie-area mental health non-profit organizations at the show’s end.

Gregory Greenleaf

Portraying violence, sexual situations, and drug use, this show is for mature audiences only.

“The Pizza Bomber Play (A Devoted Surrender)” continues through Saturday, May 10.
Basement Transmissions is located at 145 W. 11th St., Erie. For more information, visit www.basementtransmissions.org