Trent Dahlin and Anna Stefanic shine in the Oregon Cabaret whodunit
By Lee Juillerat for Ashland.news
It’s complicated.
“Murder for Two,” the newest offering at the Oregon Cabaret Theatre, is a two-person whodunit musical comedy that features wow-inducting acting, a piano, and incredible staging.
But what complicates matters is that sometimes it’s hard to keep up with all that happens.
One of the two actors in “Murder” is Marcus, a fledging, small-town police officer who happens to be near a remote mansion in rural New England when Arthur Whitney, a famous American novelist, is killed at his surprise birthday party. Because the nearest detectives are an hour away, Marcus works to show his superiors that he warrants becoming a full-fledged detective. A play-it-by-the-books problem solver, he uses “protocol” in trying to solve the mystery. As the oft-bewildered Marcus, Trent Dahlin gives a nuanced, convincing performance.
Marcus is joined by Office Lou, a silent character who Marcus and other characters speak to but is seen only as an unspoken spotlight on the stage.
Their investigation reveals an array of suspects: the novelist’s unhappy wife, a ballerina, the novelist’s possible former lover, a psychiatrist, bickering neighbors, even a trio of young boys.
What makes “Murder for Two” unique is they are all played by Anna Stefanic, who changes vocal intonations, facial expressions, posture and makes minor clothing adjustments in zippity-quick fashion. Stefanic is truly amazing.
There’s singing, dancing, piano playing, mayhem, and lots of fun. Stefanic and Dahlin sing, dance and, of course, take turns on the piano playing and singing songs that support the story. “Protocol Says” and “Process of Elimination” help Marcus in trying to solve the murderous puzzle, while the many suspects played by Stefanic reveal themselves in “So What if I Did” and “Steppin’ Out of the Shadows.” Other tunes, with Stefanic and Dahlin taking turns at the ever-omnipresent piano, include such delights as “A Perfectly Lovely Surprise,” “It Was Her,” and “A Friend Like You.
Directed by Alex Boyle, the Cabaret’s associate artistic director, “Murder for Two” is a creation of careful, precise coordination that involves creative costuming, lighting, props and sound. The play, created by Kellen Blair and Joe Kinosian, premiered in 2011 at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater and has won praise nationally for its slapdash humor, theatrics, inventive storyline, and its maze of wacky characters.
“Murder for Two” is sometimes challenging because its frantic, frenzied pace can keep audiences trying to recognize who is who in the cast of ever-changing characters.
So, whodunit: Who killed Arthur Whitney?
With all that happens in “Murder for Two,” who cares?
• • •
If it were a movie, “Murder for Two” would be rated PG-13 for mild coarse language, a few off-color jokes, comic violence, and comic depictions of murder.
“Murder for Two” runs at the Oregon Cabaret Theatre through Sunday, Nov. 9. Thursday, Saturday and Sunday matinees begin at 1 p.m., with evening performances at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Monday and Wednesday nights.
Reservations are required for pre-show dinner or brunch. Appetizers, cocktails, beverages, and desserts are available without reservations.
Tickets range from $32 to $54. The Cabaret offers a 15% ticket discount for groups of 12 or more for select ticket types and performances. $15 student rush tickets can be purchased 30 minutes before curtain with a valid student ID, subject to availability.
For more information, or to purchase tickets, call the Oregon Cabaret Theatre box office at 541-488-2902, or visit oregoncabaret.com.
Email freelance writer Lee Juillerat at [email protected].
