Harry Hunsacker

Harry Hunsacker is a fictional detective in a series of stage plays that are unusual in that they are presented in [http://www.pegasustheatre.org/bw.html "Living Black and White"] . This technique, developed at Pegasus Theatre, employs trade-secret makeup, lighting, costuming, and performance style to create the illusion that you are viewing onstage a black-and-white motion picture of the 1930s or 40's.

Author and star Kurt Kleinmann has been writing and performing with Pegasus Theatre since 1985 as part of the of artistic renaissance that has occurred in Deep Ellum in recent years.

Parody of 1930's/1940's detective movies.

New Year's Eve performance tradition.

Re-Occurring Characters

Harry Hunsacker: would-be actor turned would-be detective

Nigel Grouse: Hunsacker's paid-by-the-hour assistant and close personal friend

Lt. Foster: police officer

Running Jokes

Other characters mis-pronounce Hunsacker: ("Hamsnacker", "Crumbsacker","Hunsucker", "Humpsmacker", "Harsbacker", "Humdrummer", "Humdinger", "Hampecker", "Henpecker", "Hamhacker", Hamswinger", Hambagger", "Humswacker, "Hensmacker",etc.)

Memorable quotes

*Red and Green Faces/Vases (refers to a theme in "All Dressed Up and No Place To Die!". As a character dies he utters what seems to be the phrase, "Red and green faces." During the course of the play, a connection is made which reveals that the villainous Dr. Big is red/green colorblind and cannot distinguish the difference between two vases on the stage.)

*"I specifically told the costumer that green was not my color! Do you know what green looks like with my red hair? I’ll look like Christmas!"

*"I'll be in the kitchen… making coffee"

*"Don't play dumb with me, Eddie. I can beat you at that game anyday."

*"Why I oughtta..."

*"And this is my associate, good friend, and paid-by-the hour assistant, Nigel Grouse."

*"That's what you say--but then that's just what you'd say."

*"The storm must have knocked the lines down."

*"What a surprise. All the doors have been welded shut."

*"My name's Hunsacker. Harry Hunsacker. World famous detective and aspiring actor."

*"You know, it’s kind of nice to have something on my resume that’s true."

*"Answer to question like ingredients in hot dog -- important, but not known."

*"I'm not really a detective--well, I mean I am, but, you see, I'm really an actor--I'm just doing this until something better comes along."

*"I know who I am--it's you I'm not so sure about."

*"Oh my God. Whatshisname is dead."

Black & White Plays

*A Trifle Dead!
*XSR:Die! (AKA: Cross Stage Right:Die!)
*All Dressed Up and No Place To Die!
*The Color of Death!
*Death/Take:1!
*The Frequency of Death!
*Deadline!
*The Time of Death!
*Death Express!
*Another Murder; Another Show!
*A Degree of Death!
*It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder!
*Mind Over Murder!
*A Critical Case of Murder!
*Full Moon Murders! (premieres January 3, 2008)