Original Cast Member Jeff Blumenkrantz Will Return to Off-Broadway's MURDER FOR TWO Next Week

Producers Jayson Raitt, Barbara Whitman, Steven Chaikelson and Second Stage Theatre announced today that Murder For Two original cast member Jeff Blumenkrantz will be returning to the hit musical comedy, reprising his role of "The Suspects" beginning Monday, March 17, 2014. Blumenkrantz, fresh from the critically acclaimed production of Sweeney Todd at New York Philharmonic, is taking over for composer Joe Kinosian, who joined the cast on Monday, January 20, 2014. Blumenkrantz reunites with current star Brett Ryback in the original musical featuring book and music by Kinosian, book and lyrics by Kellen Blair and direction by Scott Schwartz. The New York production of Murder For Two began performances at New World Stages on Wednesday, October 23, 2013, officially opened on Wednesday, November 6, 2013 and recently extended to July 6, 2014.

Murder For Two recently announced a spring concert series, Murderous Musical Mondays, taking place every other Monday at New World Stages following the 7pm performance of Murder For Two. The series is set to launch on Monday, March 24, 2014 with composer Ryan Scott Oliver. Future concerts will feature the works of Chris Miller & Nathan Tysen, Sam Carner & Derek Gregor, Ryan Cunningham & Josh Salzman, Murder For Two star Brett Ryback, Alexander Sage Oyen, and the Pace New Musicals Writers' Room, which is being curated by Ryan Scott Oliver. Additional artists and dates will be announced shortly.

Everyone is a suspect in Murder For Two, a hilarious musical murder mystery with a twist: one actor (Brett Ryback) investigates the crime, the other plays all of the suspects (Joe Kinosian) and they both play the piano! A zany blend of classic musical comedy and madcap mystery, this 90-minute whodunit is a highly theatrical duet loaded with killer laughs.

Murder For Two previously played a limited summer engagement at Second Stage Theatre Uptown (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director, Casey Reitz, Executive Director and Christopher Burney, Curator and Associate Artistic Director) at the McGinn/Cazale Theatre on Wednesday, July 10, 2013 and officially opened Thursday, July 25th. It was extended twice, due to popular demand, and ultimately played there through Sunday, August 25th before transferring to its current home, New World Stages.

The original cast recording of Murder For Two, produced by Joel Moss and executive produced by Kurt Deutsch, was released digitally on Tuesday, January 14, 2014 and in stores on Tuesday, February 11, 2014. The physical CD features complete lyrics, never-before-seen photos, a show synopsis by creators Joe Kinosian and Kellen Blair and an essay by Oscar and Grammy Award-winning composer Stephen Schwartz.

Tickets for Murder For Two are available on Telecharge.com (212-239-6200) and at the New World Stages Box Office (340 West 50th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues). Tickets for Murder For Two are priced at $85 plus a $2 facilities fee. Premium Tickets are priced at $115.00 plus a $2 facilities fee. Student Tickets are priced at $25 plus a $2 facilities fee, and are available for advance purchase subject to availability. The performance schedule for Murder For Two is as follows: Mondays at 7pm, Wednesdays at 2pm and 7pm, Thursdays at 8pm, Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 2pm and 8pm, and Sundays at 3pm.

Murder For Two features scenic design by Beowulf Boritt, costume design by Andrea Lauer, lighting design by Jason Lyons, sound design by Jill BC DuBoff and choreography by Wendy Seyb.

Murder For Two was developed at The Adirondack Theatre Festival and 42nd Street Moon. Chicago Shakespeare Theater presented the World Premiere Production in May, 2011, which was extended 4 times, running for more than 6 months. Kinosian and Blair were recognized with a 2011 Joseph Jefferson Award for Best New Musical.

Photo by Peter James Zielinski