Leases, Lies and Alibis – who killed the landlord? A world premiere whodunnit comedy – one night only at Santa Monica Playhouse

3 AM. Saturday. The residents of Crystal Pines Apartments are gathered in the courtyard of the once elegant building. Why are they there, in various stages of dishabille, at this ungodly hour? Simple. Despised building manager Parker is dead. A heart attack? Suicide? Or possibly…murder? Detectives Dean and Benson have until morning to find out. And if it is murder, who dunnit?

Could it be the mafia boss turned stool pigeon, keeping shtum in Apartment 12B until the trial next week? The shunned lover in Room 6? The FBI handler in 10A? The jealous actresses in 4C, sharing an apartment only because they can’t afford to live separately? The performance artists in 3D, desperate to craft the ultimate “experience” for their public art? Perhaps there is something sinister about the seemingly innocent octogenarian Zacharias and his two contentious sons? Or even the detectives themselves, who harbor secrets of their own?

Parker (never did give anyone his first name). Did he know too much about something? Was he recognizes from a sordid past? Was he too free with his affections? Or was he simply the most reviled building manager on the planet. And if so, would frozen pipes, broken windows, noise pollution, peeping Tom cameras, snooping, broken mailboxes, backed up toilets, non-functioning elevators, rats in the walls and black mold really be cause enough for murder? Well…maybe.

Join us for one encore performance of the World Premiere comedy LEASES, LIES AND ALIBIS - ShortBurst Theatre® R.A.W.'s newest production, crafted and performed by Marty Cohen, Bianca De Lucas, Christie Evans, Peter Gueracague, Zen Hatcher, Parris Kaspszak, Louise Kerr, Linda Kohn, Jay Lutsky, Sergei Stern, Gion Tschumperlin, Theda Weston, Curtis Wilkins and Playhouse Associate Director of Adult Education. Written by Evelyn Rudie, directed by Chris DeCarlo. Original music by Sergei Stern.

ShortBurst Theatre® sees professional artists, tyro performers and members of the community at large pool their resources, their time, and their concerns, to create theatre that is relevant on a personal, local and global level, and do it all in a very short span of time, hence the name. “We performed for the State Senate and they built a rec center in our town – and it's all because of you!” Northridge Play Project, Northridge, Ohio.

Over the past 37 years, ShortBurst Theatre® has created 100+ collaborative productions locally, nationally and with companies from 11 countries, many that have later become main stage and touring productions, fostering cultural exchange and understanding and making a tangible difference across the city and around the world. “The performances and collaborations are excellent and very educative. Their work is brilliant!” Fusami Sugimine, Director Global Project, International Human Network, Japan.

Santa Monica Playhouse programs are supported in part by generous grants from the We Are Santa Monica Fund, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, the City of Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Arts Commission and Playhouse PALS.