Review: MUSICAL COMEDY MURDERS OF 1940 at Searcy Summer Dinner Theatre keeps us guessing to the very end

I just want to open with the statement that dinner theaters are the best. I enjoy being fed before a performance. Ok, with all joking aside, the Searcy Summer Dinner Theatre really has a fantastic program in a facility set up that reminds me of being in a Las Vegas showroom. Located in the Ulrey Performing Arts Center at Harding University, The Harding Department of Theatre is in their 39th season for this community-based programming. Directed by Daniel Chalenburg, THE MUSICAL COMEDY MURDERS OF 1940, is a delightful whodunit, with a wonderful cast of characters. Surprisingly, it was not a musical, but it was super funny and kept me guessing during the whole performance.

Before the show, dinner was served buffet style. Due to the fact they were sold out, I did not have a plus one but enjoyed being placed with two Joanns and another lady not named Joann. We got to know each other and enjoyed the pork loin meal, green beans, whole potatoes, rice, and rolls, and a yummy strawberry shortcake for dessert. It was good that I made friends with the ladies, because the electronic Playbill did not have pictures of the actors in the play. I was concerned I would not remember which character went with which person, but Joann helped me through it since she knew most of the actors. Thank you, Joann.

Written by John Bishop, THE MUSICAL COMEDY MURDERS OF 1940 is set December 1940 in a mansion in a small hamlet in New York state. Show people have been invited to perform for wealthy Elsa (Heather Stringfellow) in hopes that she will back their musical, or so they think. In actuality, three dancers were murdered by the "Stage Door Slasher" a few years prior, and the policeman Michael Kelly (Robin Starck) feels the killer is among the group. Attending the musical audition is Nikki the dancer (Kylie Jones), Comedian Eddie (Garrett Smith) and blue-eyed tenor Patrick O'Reilly (Brantley Anderson). Musical creators are Director Ken (Tod Martin), and writers Roger and Bernice (Patrick Reilly and Mary Margaret Fish). The play opens with Helsa the maid (Megan Batts) murdered. Everyone is stuck at the house due to snow, electricity goes out, Elsa's wealthy friend Marjorie (Sally Paine) is killed, and mayhem is had throughout the evening. Who is the killer and why? Collectively, the cast had great chemistry and played well off of each other. The comedic timing was well executed, and the accents were exaggerated. Great fun was had by all.

The set was amazing! There was so much detail in the whole layout. Because it was a mansion, it had secret passage ways in the book cases and behind the giant picture. There was an out-of-tune Baby Grand Piano on the left and tables and chairs on the right. It was all meticulous and seemed true to the era.

To finish out the summer season, THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG begins July 28. Most, if not all, of the tickets are sold out, but go ahead and check out their website at https://www.harding.edu/events/ssdt to see if there is any availability.

PRODUCTION TEAM

Executive Producer...Steven Frye

Production Manager...Cassie Bennett

Ticket Sales...Joanna Crisco

Stage Manager...Hannah Haddix

Technical Director...Seth Fish

Costume Shop Supervisor...Katy White

Set Designer...Cassie Bennett

Lighting Designer...Madison Soper

Properties...Corinne Tabor

Audio Operator...Matthew Floyd

Lighting Operator...Derrek Jones

Run Crew... Madison Soper

Dresser...Nicole Randall

House Manager...Elizabeth Dillard

Poster/Program Designer...Tim Cox

Scene Shop Crew...Matthew Floyd, Cordell Hutcheson, Derrek Jones, Kylie Jones, Madison Soper, Corinne Tabor

Costume Shop Crew...Josie Holman, Nicole Randall

Photos courtesy of Madison Meyer

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