In 2024, Diamond Head Theatre presented the mystery and mayhem of The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 that ran from February 2 to February 24 .
This fast-paced, hilarious musical took place in an isolated mansion during a snowstorm. It poked fun at the more ridiculous aspects of showbiz as well as the thrillers of Hollywood’s heyday. The plot centered around a Broadway musical audition held at an upstate New York home. A group of performers and producers found themselves cut off from the outside world with only a deranged murderer for company. Complete with secret passages and a bizarre cast of characters, this brilliantly plotted play had become a modern comedy classic.
The Diamond Head Theatre cast included: Brianna Johnston as the mansion's maid Helsa Wenzel; Lisa Konove as the eccentric mansion owner Elsa Von Grossenknueten; Michael Abdo as undercover cop Michael Kelly; Christopher Denton as Patrick O’Reilly who claimed to be an Irish tenor; Lee Nebe as the self-absorbed director Ken De La Maize; Emily Lane as actress Nikki Crandall; David Samsel as Eddie McCuen, an actor struggling as an out-of-work comedian; Heather Taylor as producer Marjorie Baverstock; Andrew Simmons as lyricist Roger Hopewell; and Betty Bolton as scriptwriter Bernice Roth.
The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 was written by John Bishop, a playwright, and screenwriter. The plot was based on several different 1940s mystery movies and was directed by Diamond Head Theatre's Artistic Director John Rampage. The first-ever show of the Musical Comedy Murders premiered on Broadway in April 1987. Check out our upcoming shows and buy tickets before it sells out.
