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Murder For Two

The perfect blend of music, mayhem and murder! In this hilarious 90-minute show, 2 performers play 13 roles — not to mention the piano — in a witty and winking homage to old-fashioned murder mysteries. The New York Times calls it "Ingenious!"

More information

Description

  • Full Length Musical
  • Farce, Comedy, Mystery/Thriller
  • 90 minutes

  • Time Period: Contemporary
  • Target Audience: Teen (Age 14 - 18), Adult
  • Set Requirements: Bare Stage/Simple Set
  • Cautions: No Special Cautions
  • Orchestra Size: Small/Combo

  • Performance Group:
  • Large Stage, Dinner Theatre, Community Theatre, High School/Secondary, Professional Theatre, Shoestring Budget, Blackbox / Second Stage /Fringe Groups, College Theatre / Student

  • Accolades:
  • Winner! Joseph Jefferson Award for Best New Musical (2011)
    Nominee! Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical (2014)
    Nominee! Drama League Award for Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical (2014)
    Nominee! Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical (2014)
Officer Marcus Moscowicz is a small-town policeman with dreams of making it to detective. One fateful night, shots ring out at the surprise birthday party of Great American Novelist Arthur Whitney and the writer is killed…fatally. With the nearest detective an hour away, Marcus jumps at the chance to prove his sleuthing skills—with the help of his silent partner, Lou. But whodunit? Did Dahlia Whitney, Arthur's scene-stealing wife, give him a big finish? Is Barrette Lewis, the prima ballerina, the prime suspect? Did Dr. Griff, the overly-friendly psychiatrist, make a frenemy? Marcus has only a short amount of time to find the killer and make his name before the real detective arrives… and the ice cream melts!

Murder For Two is the perfect blend of music, mayhem and murder! In this hilarious 90-minute show, 2 performers play 13 roles – not to mention the piano – in a witty and winking homage to old-fashioned murder mysteries. You won't want to miss this killer musical comedy!
REVIEWS:

"Ingenious! A snazzy double-act that spins out a comic mystery animated by funny, deftly turned songs."

 The New York Times

"This whodunit... is proof positive that clever writing and excellent actors are all that is needed to captivate an audience... The props are few, but the entertainment value is high."

 Huffington Post

"Joe Kinosian and Kellen Blair's score is a silly-clever throwback to 1950s novelty cabaret, and director Scott Schwartz milks the show for every drop of tomfoolery: vaudeville bits, sound effects, meta winks, audience participation. Like many a lark, Murder for Two... wins you over with droll writing and winsome performances... If you like your show-business men hardworking, you may end up smitten."

 Time Out NY

"Was the killer Dahlia, the deceased's wife, a Southern belle who resented her husband for ending her glamorous stage career? Or Barrette Lewis, the celebrated ballerina who was seeing him on the sly? Or the psychiatrist Dr. Griff, who seemed to be treating just about everyone in the room at the time of the murder? It couldn't possibly be a member of that boys' choir on hand for Arthur's birthday party, now could it? Then again, they're a tough little bunch."

 The New York Times

Premiere Production:

Murder For Two was developed at The Adirondack Theatre Festival and 42nd Street Moon. Chicago Shakespeare Theater presented the World Premiere Production in May, 2011, which was extended 4 times and ran for more than 6 months. Kinosian and Blair were recognized with a 2011 Joseph Jefferson Award for Best New Musical. Murder For Two opened at Second Stage Theatre’s uptown home, the McGinn/Cazale Theatre, in July, 2013. It was extended twice due to popular demand. The Second Stage production transferred to New World Stages, where performances began on October 23, 2013. Murder For Two had a subsequent two-year national tour, and it has been performed in Japan, South Korea, China, Argentina, Brazil and the UK.

Characters

  • Casting: 2M or F
  • Casting Attributes: Strong Role for Leading Woman (Star Vehicle), Ensemble cast, Non-Traditional casting, Strong Role for Leading Man (Star Vehicle)
  • Casting Notes: Murder For Two is performed by two piano-playing actors, and is intended to be performed with minimal, if any, production elements. The only necessary set piece is a piano in the middle of the room on which the actors accompany themselves and one another. One actor portrays MARCUS, while the other portrays all of THE SUSPECTS.
  • Chorus Size: No Chorus

  • MARCUS MOSCOWICZ – an ambitious young officer

  • THE SUSPECTS
    DAHLIA WHITNEY – the victim’s loopy widow
    MURRAY & BARB FLANDON – the Whitneys’ bickering neighbors
    STEPH WHITNEY – an overeager grad student
    BARRETTE LEWIS – a self-incriminating ballerina
    DR. GRIFF – a friendly local psychiatrist
    TIMMY, YONKERS, & SKID – members of an antiquated boys’ choir
    HENRY VIVALDI – a late arrival

    • Available Material

    Name Price
    Perusal Material Shipped immediately. This is optional. Order Now

    1 x Libretto
    1 x Piano-Vocal

    		$24.00
    Libretto This is optional. Order Now

    Officer Marcus Moscowicz is a small-town policeman with dreams of making it to detective. One fateful night, shots ring out at the surprise birthday party of Great American Novelist Arthur Whitney and the writer is killed…fatally. With the nearest detective an hour away, Marcus jumps at the chance to prove his sleuthing skills—with the help of his silent partner, Lou. But whodunit? Did Dahlia Whitney, Arthur's scene-stealing wife, give him a big finish? Is Barrette Lewis, the prima ballerina, the prime suspect? Did Dr. Griff, the overly-friendly psychiatrist, make a frenemy? Marcus has only a short amount of time to find the killer and make his name before the real detective arrives… and the ice cream melts!

    Murder For Two is the perfect blend of music, mayhem and murder! In this hilarious 90-minute show, 2 performers play 13 roles – not to mention the piano – in a witty and winking homage to old-fashioned murder mysteries. You won't want to miss this killer musical comedy!

    PLEASE NOTE: The LIBRETTO is available for SALE ONLY and is not available for hire as part of the Rehearsal Material set. It must be purchased separately.

    		$24.95
    Rehearsal Material Shipped a minimum of 1 month before the last performance. This must be hired as a condition of the License to produce this show.

    2 x Piano-Vocal

    		$90.00 +$90.00/pm

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