Die Laughing at Philadelphia Theatre Company's MURDER FOR TWO, Now thru 6/28

Murder, musical mayhem and a madcap mystery will be on stage when Philadelphia Theatre Company presents the killer musical MURDER FOR TWO, running tonight, June 6-28 at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre (Broad and Lombard Streets). With book and music by Joe Kinosian, book and lyrics by Kellen Blair, and direction by Scott Schwartz, the hilarious whodunit features a two-man cast, with one actor investigating the crime and the other playing all the suspects -- and both playing the piano.

Previews begin tonight, June 6 with Opening Night on Wednesday, June 10. Performances run Tuesdays through Sundays until June 28. Tickets starting at $25 are available by calling the PTC Box Office at 215-985-0420 or visiting PhiladelphiaTheatreCompany.org.

Nominated for Drama Desk, Drama League, Outer Critics Circle and Lucille Lortel Awards, MURDER FOR TWO is a witty and winking homage to old-fashioned murder mysteries. Officer Marcus Moscowicz is a small town policeman with dreams of making it to detective. One fateful night, shots ring out at the surprise birthday party of Great American Novelist Arthur Whitney and the writer is killed...fatally. With the nearest detective an hour away, Marcus jumps at the chance to prove his sleuthing skills-with the help of his silent partner, Lou. But whodunit? Did Dahlia Whitney, Arthur's scene-stealing wife, give him a big finish? Is Barrette Lewis, the prima ballerina, the prime suspect? Did Dr. Griff, the overly-friendly psychiatrist, make a frenemy? Marcus has only a short amount of time to find the killer and make his name before the real detective arrives...and the ice cream melts!

MURDER FOR TWO first played New York in 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) in the summer of 2013. It was extended twice, due to popular demand, before transferring to New World Stages for an eight-month run through June 2014.

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.

Scott Schwartz (Director) returns to PTC where he directed the critically-acclaimed production of Seminar in the 2012/13 Season. He directed MURDER FOR TWO Off-Broadway at New World Stages and Second Stage Uptown. On Broadway, he directed Golda's Balcony and Jane Eyre (co-directed with John Caird). His other Off-Broadway work includes Bat Boy: The Musical (Lucille Lortel and Outer Critics Circle Awards, Outstanding Off-Broadway Musical; Drama Desk Award nomination, Outstanding Director of a Musical), tick, tick...BOOM! (Outer Critics Circle, Outstanding Off-Broadway Musical; Drama Desk nomination, Outstanding Director of a Musical); Rooms: A Rock Romance; The Foreigner starring Matthew Broderick (Roundabout Theatre Company), Kafka's The Castle (Outer Critics Circle nomination, Outstanding Director of a Play), and No Way to Treat a Lady. He also directed Golda's Balcony on tour, in London, in Los Angeles at the Wadsworth Theatre and in San Francisco at American Conservatory Theater. He directed the world premiere of Séance on a Wet Afternoon at Opera Santa Barbara and subsequently at New York City Opera. Schwartz's other recent credits include the US premiere of The Hunchback of Notre Dame (La Jolla Playhouse), the world premiere of Secondhand Lions (5th Avenue Theatre), the world premiere of Theresa Rebeck's What We're Up Against (Alley Theatre), Arsenic and Old Lace starring Tovah Feldshuh and Betty Buckley (Dallas Theater Center), and a re-envisioning of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Paper Mill Playhouse, Theatre Under The Stars, Theatre on the Square and North Shore Music Theatre; 2008 IRNE Award, Outstanding Director of a Musical). He is the Artistic Director of Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor, NY and is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, an Associate Artist at the Alley Theatre, and a graduate of Harvard University.

Kyle Branzel (The Suspects) appeared in the national tour Henry and Mudge and regional productions of Footloose, Guys and Dolls, and You're A Good Man Charlie Brown. His Music Director and pianist credits include productions of See What I Wanna See (Steppenwolf Garage Rep), Passing Strange (Bailiwick Chicago), The Fabulous Lipitones (Penguin Rep Theatre), A Chorus Line (Timber Lake Playhouse), and Sam Carner and Derek Gregor's Barely Legal Showtune Extravaganza (Les Poisson Rouge).

Ian Lowe (Marcus - Through June 21) returns to the MURDER FOR TWO role he played Off-Broadway at New World Stages following engagements at The Old Globe, Arizona Theater Company, The Temple Theater, and the Lyric Theater. His Off-Broadway credits include Nikolai & the Others (Lincoln Center Theatre), The unCivil War (NYMF), and Feste in 12th Night (Sonnet Rep). Regionally, Ian starred as Fingers in Fingers & Toes (Finger Lakes Musical Theater Festival, Regional Premiere), Heartbreaker starring Christine Andreas (Adirondack Theatre Festival, Regional Premiere); as well as plays and musicals at Capital Rep, Pittsburgh CLO, Riverside Theater, Charleston Stage, Dorset Theater Festival, Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, Ivoryton Playhouse and others. He has appeared in readings and workshops at The York, Ensemble Studio Theater, Manhattan Theater Club and others.

Brandon Lambert (Marcus - Beginning June 23) has been seen in the regional productions of Plaid Tidings (Pittsburgh CLO), Born Yesterday (Pittsburgh Public Theater), Legally Blonde (Pittsburgh Musical Theatre), and Natoma (Victor Herbert Renaissance Project). Additionally, he won the Pittsburgh Concert Society Young Artist Competition, placed 3rd in the Solon Center of the Arts Concerto Competition, and participated in the Cleveland Institute of Music's Young Composer Program.

MURDER FOR TWO features choreography by Wendy Seyb, scenic design by Beowulf Boritt, costume design by Andrea Lauer, lighting design by Jason Lyons, and sound design by Jill BC DuBoff.

PTC's 40th Anniversary Season has been generously supported by Community Outreach Sponsor PECO, Accommodations Sponsor AKA Rittenhouse, Season Sponsor Center City Film & Video, and Official Beverage Sponsor WTSO.com.

Founded in 1974, Philadelphia Theatre Company is a leading regional theatre company that produces, develops and presents entertaining and imaginative contemporary theatre focused on the American experience. By developing new work through commissions, readings and workshops, PTC generates a national impact and reaches broad regional audiences. Under the guidance of PTC's Executive Producing Director, Sara Garonzik, since 1982 and Executive Managing Director Priscilla M. Luce, who joined the leadership team in early April of 2013, PTC supports the work of a growing body of diverse dramatists and takes pride in being a home to many nationally recognized artists who have participated in more than 140 world and Philadelphia premieres. PTC has received 53 Barrymore Awards and 169 nominations. PTC's home on the Avenue of the Arts, the Suzanne Roberts Theatre which opened in October 2007, has helped revitalize of Center City Philadelphia's thriving arts district. For further information, call 215-735-7356.

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