Curtains

Curtains is set in 1959 in Boston at a pre-Broadway tryout of a new musical where it’s literally ‘curtains’ for the leading lady who dies mysteriously onstage during the applause at the end of the show. The entire company — the producers, the songwriters, the director, the actors, the stage manager — are possible suspects and each has a motive, to be sorted out by a local detective. The detective, who is a fervent musical theatre fan, allows the company to continue rehearsing while he conducts his murder investigation. He soon finds himself in the middle of the uproarious bedlam of theatrical egos and eccentricities, more murders and even a budding love affair. Curtains stars Frasier’s David Hyde Pierce. The musical features music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. Scott Ellis directs.