CURTAINS to Open at Anne Arundel Community College, Directed by Justin Brill

Broadway veteran Justin Brill will return to the stage where his theatrical journey began—and he's bringing a murder mystery with him. The Talent Machine Company will present Curtains: A Musical Comedy Whodunit July 10–19 at Anne Arundel Community College, directed by Brill, a Talent Machine alumnus whose professional career has taken him from Broadway and The Metropolitan Opera to national tours and university classrooms across the country.

Part musical comedy, part detective story and part love letter to Broadway, Curtains invites audiences to solve a murder while enjoying big production numbers, unforgettable characters and the high-energy choreography for which The Talent Machine Company is known.

The production features a cast of talented performers ages 14–18, many of whom appeared in The Talent Machine Company's 2025 production of The Addams Family, recently recognized with the Ruby Griffith Award for Outstanding Achievement in a Musical.

The Curtains mystery begins in 1959 Boston when the leading lady of a troubled musical suddenly dies on opening night. Enter Lieutenant Frank Cioffi, a detective with a passion for theater who must uncover the killer before the show closes for good. As clues emerge and secrets are revealed, everyone backstage becomes a suspect.

"It's a rare show that combines genuine mystery, laugh-out-loud comedy and classic Broadway spectacle so effectively," said Brill. "The audience gets to play detective while enjoying incredible music and dance. It's a show that's constantly surprising people."

Brill knows a thing or two about Broadway. A Talent Machine Company alumnus, he performed on Broadway in Rent and All Shook Up, appeared as Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream at The Metropolitan Opera, and spent more than 1,200 performances portraying Boq in the First National Tour of Wicked. Today, he is a director, educator and performer based in Chicago.

Returning to direct for the organization where he first discovered his love of theater has made this production especially meaningful.

"Talent Machine helped shape who I am as an artist," said Brill. "Coming back to work with these young performers and help create the kind of experience that inspired me years ago has been incredibly rewarding."

"One of the most exciting aspects of this production is seeing accomplished alumni return to mentor the next generation," said Lea Capps, President and Artistic Director of The Talent Machine Company. "Justin's journey from Talent Machine performer to Broadway professional is exactly the kind of story that inspires our students and demonstrates what's possible through the arts."