(CRANFORD, NJ) -- CDC Theatre presents The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 across three weekends from February 9-24, 2024. This is an Agatha-Christie-meets-Clue parody, full of twists, turns, red herrings and slapstick for audiences of all ages! John Bishop’s 1987 comedy is a send-up of all the cliches and stereotypes from both musical theater and murder mysteries thrown together and shaken up for laughs.
The creative team responsible for a recent Broadway flop assemble for a backer's audition of their new show at the Westchester estate of a wealthy and eccentric theatre financier. However, the shadow of the team’s last show hangs over the group -- Manhattan Holiday was ravaged by the “Stage Door Slasher,” a mysterious killer who stabbed chorus girls. As the composer, lyricist, actors and director prepare their performance, and a blizzard cuts off any possible retreat, bodies start to drop in plain sight. It doesn't take long for everyone to figure out that one of them is The Stage Door Slasher and accusing fingers point in all directions.
The bumbling police inspector, who snowshoes in to investigate, is hoping to flush out the killer from this group of suspects--but the killer has other plans. More than that, the threat of Nazi saboteurs lurks among them! Will the Slasher be unmasked? Maybe, but not before the audience has been treated to a rollicking good time full of the author’s biting, satiric and irreverent wit.
The cast includes Melissa Calicchio (Nikki Crandall), Lorraine Ford DeMan (Marjorie Baverstock), Cathryn Hardy (Bernice Roth), Edgar Hidalgo (Ken De La Maize), Zach Love (Patrick O'Reilly), Shannon Ludlum (Helsa Wenzel), Sean Lynch-Littlejohn (Roger Hopewell), Daraius Phillips (Michael Kelly), Rachelle Rennagel (Elsa Von Grossenknueten), and Ralph Saro Jr. (Eddie McCuen).
Performances take place February 9,10,16,17,23,24 at 8:00pm; February 18 at 2:00pm. Tickets are available for purchase online. Accessible parking is available and the theater is equipped with one wheelchair accessible restroom in the main lobby. Wheelchair accessible seating is available. CDC Theatre is committed to making its facilities accessible to all of their patrons.
The production is directed by Zach Mazouat with Liz Howard as produer, Dana Dispoto as stage manager, Zach Mazouat and Ed Whitman providing set design and construction.
“MURDERS is the intelligent person’s kind of nonsense.” —New York Magazine
CDC Theatre is located at 78 Winans Avenue in Cranford, New Jersey. The Cranford Dramatic Club is a non profit all volunteer organization whose purpose is to: produce and present plays of merit, develop, by discussion and active participation, the talents of members in all phases of dramatic work, e.g., directing, acting, staging, etc.; and stimulate community interest in amateur theater.
