BRATTLEBORO — New England Youth Theatre, 100 Flat St., presents The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, written by John Bishop and directed by Julia Tadlock, at 7 p.m. on Oct. 6, 7, 14, and 15, and at 2 p.m. on Oct. 7, 8, 14, and 15.
Despite its title, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 is not a musical - though there are a couple of songs - rather, it is “a side-splitting sendup of the classic whodunit,” full of confused identities and outlandish situations with a side order of mystery and intrigue mixed in for good measure, according to a news release.
The story focuses on the creative team responsible for a recent Broadway flop in which three chorus girls were murdered by the mysterious “Stage Door Slasher.” They assemble for a backer's audition of their new show at the Westchester estate of a wealthy “angel,” but as they prepare their performance, bodies start to drop in plain sight, knives spring out of nowhere, masked figures drag their victims into hiding, and accusing fingers point in all directions.
Added to the chaos are a bumbling detective on snowshoes, two (or three?) Nazi agents, and a German maid who is apparently four different people - all of whom figure diabolically in the comic mayhem that follows when the infamous “Slasher” makes his reappearance and strikes again - and again.
Tadlock, former Artistic Director of the Theatre Department at Vermont Academy, directs the cast of 10 that is made up of both veteran and first-time actors, age 13-19.
“These kids are so generous and ready to jump in,” she said in the news release. “They have impressed me not only with the bold and interesting choices they have been making as actors, but the compassion they show to one another each and every day - making the stage a safe place for them to really explore and play.”
NEYT's new Professional Mentorship Program has afforded the production many new technical and design opportunities, including a presentation to the production team and actors by Morning Glorious Vintage, which provided the historical content and the reasoning behind 1940s fashions, based on the cultural and political climate of that era.
The period-perfect costumes were created by Vivian Smith, and the hairstyles were designed by period hair designer Zac Binney, who is currently hosting a free five-week hands-on historical workshop for NEYT students and the general public.
The intricate set, replete with sliding panels and secret passageways, was designed and built by Jason Clark and his team of student apprentices.
Audiences won't want to miss this spoof on the murder mystery genre that harks back to the familiar delight of the late-night movies from the 1940s. Will the mystery be solved and the “Slasher” unmasked? Perhaps, but not before the audience has been treated to “a sidesplitting good time and a generous serving of the author's biting, satiric, and refreshingly irreverent wit.”