THE MUSICAL COMEDY MURDERS OF 1940 Comes to Gettysburg Community Theatre This Month

Gettysburg Community Theatre, the non-profit 501c3 organization located at 49 York Street in historic downtown Gettysburg, PA, reopened in April for in-person public performances after being shuttered for a year with nothing but "zoom shows". Now in its 13th season, GCT continues to offer educational, performance, and volunteer opportunities for all ages and abilities year-round.

The Musical Comedy Murders Of 1940 is set to perform on stage 7pm October 8, 9, 15 & 16 and 2pm October 10 & 17 (live), with streaming performances on demand any time October 22-24. This murder mystery play is a campy fun comedy written by John Bishop. The creative team responsible for a recent Broadway flop (in which three chorus girls were murdered by the mysterious "Stage Door Slasher") assemble for a backer's audition of their new show at the Westchester estate of a wealthy donor. The house includes sliding panels, secret passageways, and a German maid who is apparently four different people-all of which figure diabolically in the comic mayhem which follows when the infamous "Slasher" makes his reappearance and strikes again-and again. As the composer, lyricist, actors, and director prepare their performance, and a blizzard cuts off any possible retreat, bodies start to drop in plain sight, knives spring out of nowhere, masked figures drag their victims behind swiveling bookcases, and accusing fingers point in all directions. However, and with no thanks to the bumbling police inspector who snowshoes in to investigate, the mystery is solved in the nick of time and the "Slasher" unmasked-but not before the audience has been treated to a sidesplitting good time and a generous serving of the author's biting, satiric, and refreshingly irreverent wit.

The cast includes Linda Fink, Mike Krikorian, and Wendee Lewis from Gettysburg, Mathew Barninger and Douglas D. Cooper from Hanover, Nicole Merkel and James Hamilton from Littlestown, Kevin Foster from Mechanicsburg, and Alyssa Beyers from Walkersville, MD. The production is being stage managed by Sarah Kirk from Gettysburg, and directed by Shane Miller from Gettysburg.

Tickets for in person and streaming performances can be purchased at www.GettysburgCommunityTheatre.org as GCT is a very small 80 seat theatre, it is highly recommended that tickets be ordered in advance online. Auditions and volunteer opportunities can also be found online.

The remaining performances of the 2021 GCT season includes:

All Together Now! (A Global Event-Broadway Musical Revue) 7pm November 12 & 14 at 7pm and November 13 & 14 at 2pm (live on stage), as well as 2pm & 7pm November 13 for live streaming.

All 2021 streaming performances are made possible in part by the Adams County Arts Council Star Grant that is funded in part by the Borough of Gettysburg, Adams County Commissioners, and the Robert C. Hoffman Trust held by the Adams County Community Foundation.

More information and donation information can be found online at www.GettysburgCommunityTheatre.org

GCT is also very excited to once again be part of the GIVING SPREE produced by Adams County Community Foundation. The annual fundraising event for over 90 different non-profit organizations to have a chance to earn matching funds on their donations will be held on November 5th. Donors can give online, by mail in form, or drop off in person that day. More information will be posted on the theatre website very soon.

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