She Grew Up Loving Mysteries — Now She’s Directing One in Newport

The corpses are piling up in The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, at Stained Glass Theater in  Newport Jan 8-24, as Footlighters takes a playful poke at theater folk and the B-movie whodunits of the WWII era.

 

Musical Comedy Murders has lots of twists – the first one: it isn’t a musical. It’s about a backer’s audition for a musical, The White House Merry-Go-Round, where a 

 

 

Why do they need rescue? Apparently the infamous “Stage Door Slasher” (who really killed the creative team’s last show) has decided to join the party. And make sure you don’t miss the news on the radio: Nazi saboteurs were discovered making a submarine landing, and one remains at large…

 

Is that the strong scent of red herrings in the air?

 

Amanda Emmons is Murders‘s director and she’s clearly the woman for the job. The Elsmere resident named one of her dogs after a TV serial killer – Dexter. She is also an unabashed mystery fan. “Who doesn’t love a good murder mystery? I grew up intrigued by the unknown,” Emmons said. “I always wanted to play Clue, I constantly watched Unsolved Mysteries (under the safety of my comforter of course), and lost myself in the writings of the ‘Queen of Crime’, Agatha Christie. “

 

She’s also a fan of the black-and-white mystery movies, often set in an old, dark house, and raging storms weren’t infrequent, either. They were the source of inspiration for Musical Comedy Murders playwright John Bishop (Check out Bob Hope in The Cat and the Canary — These days you can stream them, or check out Turner Classic Movies on cable.)

 

Emmons agreeably answered a few convoluted questions.

 

RCN: So many suspects. Wasn’t the father of our hostess Elsa Von Grossenknueten an advisor to the Kaiser? And what’s with the German maid? And the actor with a German accent? To say nothing of the composer, lyricist and director. Do you even trust the cop?

 

EMMONS: The beautiful thing about a good murder mystery — everyone’s a good suspect. There are so many twists and turns as we go through this script, it’s impossible to not come up with a motive for everybody. However, I personally suspect the comedian – he’s too happy for his own good.

 

RCN: Do you think Broadway musicals would be better if they always did backers’ auditions at remote estates on dark and stormy nights? 

 

EMMONS:  Of course – what’s better than being in a mansion with a bunch of theatre people? PARTY! Plus think of all the fun you would have playing in the secret passages. Maybe it would take the stress off the whole audition process.

 

RCN:  Hypothetically, of course, in real life who is the person involved with a production who most deserves to be killed? The director? The producer? Actor? Musical director? Stage manager? 

 

EMMONS: It has to be the director! The director is the point where everything crosses. The director has a direct connection to everyone, the actors, stage managers, choreographers, producers… Obviously the one who could make the most number of people upset and obviously gives many people motives. You wouldn’t want to kill of the stages manager — they are god!

 

RCN: What’s the biggest challenge to putting comic mayhem on the stage? 

 

EMMONS: As with any show, the biggest challenge is fitting together the pieces of the puzzle so they create just the perfect picture of the audience. In this case particularly, the set itself became another character in the show. It moves and breathes as if it is telling its own story from behind the walls with secret passageways and power failures in a creepy period library. The set construction crew truly brought my design to life.

 

RCN: Do you have your next project lined up?

 

EMMONS: I will be performing in I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change this March with Union Community Theatre. And in June I am going to be part of the biggest show of my life — I get married!

 

 

 

 

Elsa –- She’s the owner of the mansion and holds all the money and everyone always sucks up to her. (What could be in her will?)

 

Helsa –- If you don’t have a butler, how can you not suspect the maid?

 

Kelly –- Is he who he claims to be?

 

O’Reilly — An Irish tenor… or is he? 

 

Nikki — A typical chorus girl… with a few secrets up her sleeve.

 

Eddie — A struggling comedian (aren’t they all?) In my opinion the most suspicious. He’s too happy for his own good. And he tries too hard.

 

Marjorie — The producer. She has a great presence whenever she enters the room. Is she hiding in plain sight? And what’s this thing she has about the house and its history?

 

Bernice — The shows lyricist, and a lover of “beverages.” One of my personal favorite characters in the show, whether she’s a serial killer or not.

 

Ken — The director. Ask any actor – can you ever trust a director?

 

Roger — The flamboyant pianist. He’s always looking for a motive – why do I question his motives…?