January 25 – February 25
Hold your breath and brace your funny bones for a riotous, rollicking ride through a murder mystery unlike anything you’ve experienced before. While stealing turns at the piano, one actor sets out to solve the whodunit while the other feverishly tackles a revolving lineup of outrageous suspects. Combining vaudevillian farce, witty writing, and fast-flying keys, Murder For Two is a musical comedy to die for!
2018 Season Content Advisories
Book and music by JOE KINOSIAN
Book and lyrics by KELLEN BLAIR
For this production, the stage is 3 1/2 feet high and the first row of seating is 5 1/2 feet from the stage.
Show Sponsor
Meet the Cast
David Saffert as The Suspects
David Saffert has played piano locally for the Oregon Symphony, Portland Opera, Oregon Ballet Theatre, and Resonance Ensemble, and has been featured on All Classical Portland radio’s “Thursdays at Three.” Past credits involve work with the Guthrie Theater, Theatre de la Jeune Lune, James Sewell Ballet, and the Interlochen Arts Camp. Currently, David is a Liberace tribute artist who is being granted rights and promotion from the Liberace Foundation in Las Vegas. Once finalized, David will be the only licensed Liberace tribute artist in the world. His company, In Sequins Productions, includes Jillian Snow Harris and Bo Ayars, Liberace’s own music director of 13 years. David’s Liberace show website is www.SaffertinSequins.com.
Barney Stein as Marcus
Barney Stein appeared at Broadway Rose as a dancer in Chicago and 42nd Street, and as Irving Berlin in The Melody Lingers On. Other favorites musical roles include Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar and Godspell, and Claude in Hair; he also appeared as Dietrich Bonhoeffer in The Beams Are Creaking. He has music directed for Broadway Rose several times, including for Always…Patsy Cline, which he will be music directing again this spring. Barney has worked as a piano accompanist in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Portland and over the last few years has turned more to jazz, appearing often as a singer at Wilfs, the Camellia Lounge, and the Local Lounge in Portland. Barney received his M.A. in dance from Stanford University.
David Saffert as The Suspects
David Saffert has played piano locally for the Oregon Symphony, Portland Opera, Oregon Ballet Theatre, and Resonance Ensemble, and has been featured on All Classical Portland radio’s “Thursdays at Three.” Past credits involve work with the Guthrie Theater, Theatre de la Jeune Lune, James Sewell Ballet, and the Interlochen Arts Camp. Currently, David is a Liberace tribute artist who is being granted rights and promotion from the Liberace Foundation in Las Vegas. Once finalized, David will be the only licensed Liberace tribute artist in the world. His company, In Sequins Productions, includes Jillian Snow Harris and Bo Ayars, Liberace’s own music director of 13 years. David’s Liberace show website is www.SaffertinSequins.com.
Barney Stein as Marcus
Barney Stein appeared at Broadway Rose as a dancer in Chicago and 42nd Street, and as Irving Berlin in The Melody Lingers On. Other favorites musical roles include Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar and Godspell, and Claude in Hair; he also appeared as Dietrich Bonhoeffer in The Beams Are Creaking. He has music directed for Broadway Rose several times, including for Always…Patsy Cline, which he will be music directing again this spring. Barney has worked as a piano accompanist in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Portland and over the last few years has turned more to jazz, appearing often as a singer at Wilfs, the Camellia Lounge, and the Local Lounge in Portland. Barney received his M.A. in dance from Stanford University.
Show Dates
Friday, January 26, 7:30 PM OPENING NIGHT—Limited Availability
Saturday, January 27, 7:30 PM—Limited Availability
Sunday, January 28, 2:00 PM—Limited Availability
Thursday, February 1, 7:30 PM
Friday, February 2, 7:30 PM—Limited Availability
Saturday, February 3, 2:00 PM—Post-show talk back*
Saturday, February 3, 7:30 PM—Limited Availability
Sunday, February 4, 2:00 PM—Limited Availability
Thursday, February 8, 7:30 PM
Friday, February 9, 7:30 PM—Limited Availability
Saturday, February 10, 2:00 PM
Saturday, February 10, 7:30 PM—SOLD OUT
Sunday, February 11, 2:00 PM—SOLD OUT
Thursday, February 15, 7:30 PM—Limited Availability
Friday, February 16, 7:30 PM—Limited Availability
Saturday, February 17, 2:00 PM—Limited Availability
Saturday, February 17, 7:30 PM—SOLD OUT
Sunday, February 18, 2:00 PM—SOLD OUT
Thursday, February 22, 2:00 PM
Thursday, February 22, 7:30 PM
Friday, February 23, 7:30 PM
Saturday, February 24, 7:30 PM—Limited Availability
Sunday, February 25, 2:00 PM—Limited Availability
*Talk-backs are free and open to the public. They begin immediately following the first Saturday matinee performance of the mainstage production, and are held in the theater. You do not have to attend the Broadway Rose production in order to attend the talk-back.
Creative
Music Direction by Jeffrey Childs
Choreography by Dan Murphy
Set Design by Jessica Moretti
Costume Design by Brynne Oster-Bainnson
Light Design by Jeff Forbes
Prop Design by Jeff Duncan
Sound Design by Brian Moen
Sound Mixer Michelle Strahm
Stage Manager Jessica Junor
Director's Note
A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR DAN MURPHY
While in New York City about eight years ago, Sharon and I had the pleasure of attending a workshop production of Murder for Two. We laughed and had such a good time – as did everyone else in the room – that we knew one day this show would be on our stage. Well, it finally made it to the top of the list for this season and here we are.
The idea of directing a musical with only two actors and a piano put me out of my comfort zone. Big shows like Hello, Dolly! and The Music Man I can do. Even a Tualatin High School musical with its cast of thousands of students is fine. But what to do with two actors and a piano? Cast really talented actors who play piano exceptionally well and then turn them loose! Often with productions, I find myself in the driver’s seat and my job really is to make sure everyone arrives safely; you put Dolly in a red dress at the top of the stairs for the big number and you don’t fool around with that. But this rehearsal period has been chock full of creativity as we really don’t have a road map other than the bare bones script. Something silly comes up… put it in! Some big mistake happens that leaves us all in stitches…put it in! I hope you find the result as funny as we did during this process and that you enjoy a couple of good laughs along the way.
News, Reviews, and Buzz
Murder for Two is irresistible fun
by Judy Nedry
Feb. 3, 2018, JudyNedry.com
Broadway Rose Theatre Company kicked off its 27th season with Murder for Two, a riotously manic vaudevillian farce featuring Barney Stein and David Saffert…With the company’s new season called Season of Irresistible Fun, it is off to a great start… Read more.
Musical comedy ‘Murder for Two’ opens with a bang and doesn’t let up
by Richard Wattenberg
Feb. 1, 2018, The Oregonian
This modest musical comedy is definitely an antidote for winter weariness and whatever else might be getting you down. As just plain fun, it is, as the title of one number tells us, “A Perfectly Lovely Surprise.” … Read more.
BWW Review: David Saffert Kills It in MURDER FOR TWO at Broadway Rose
by Krista Garver
Jan. 31, 2018, BroadwayWorld
There’s a particular pleasure in watching a master at work…Even if you don’t like mysteries — heck, even if you don’t like musicals! — I urge you go see this show so you can spend an hour and 40 minutes (no intermission) in the presence of theatrical greatness… Read more.
“Murder For Two” @ Broadway Rose
by Kristopher Haines
Jan. 29, 2018, The Crippled Critic
The “two” in “Murder for Two” refers to the two actors, one of whom, David Saffert plays an astonishing number of characters…Saffert’s performance is every bit as skilled as one would expect to be able to take on such a daunting task… Read more.
Murder For Two Knocking ’em Dead
by Tina Arth
Jan. 29, 2018, Westside Theatre Reviews
It’s a good thing that audiences don’t actually die laughing – if they did, last Friday Tigard’s New Stage would have been the scene of unimaginable carnage. Broadway Rose’s season opener, Murder for Two, didn’t just draw the frequent laughs and occasional rounds of applause common to good musical comedy… Read more.
CHARACTER ACTOR
by Blair Stenvick
Jan. 17, 2018, The Times
David Saffert is no stranger to intense theatricality…But his latest role in Broadway Rose Theatre Company’s murder mystery musical, “Murder for Two,” might be the most challenging one yet — because it isn’t just one role. It’s 10. Read more.
Adult Dance Series - Winter (January 14 - February 4) - Only 2 spaces left!
Only 2 spaces left!
Whether you have an upcoming audition or just want to dust off your dancing shoes, shuffle off to Broadway Rose for this new adult dance series! This all-levels class gives veteran and new performers alike the chance to practice a variety of musical theatre dance styles. You pick your schedule: sign up for just one class, all of them, or any combination in between!
January 14 to February 4 (4 weeks)
Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. to noon
Broadway Rose New Stage
Ages: 18+ | Tuition: $20 per class or $60 for the full 4-class series
Liz O’Donnell is one of the instructors for our Adult Dance Series. Liz is a local performer and has been seen on stage at Sherwood Foundation for the Arts (Anything Goes), triangle productions! (The Nancy Boggs Story), Stumptown Stages (West Side Story, Mamma Mia!), and Broadway Rose (Thoroughly Modern Millie, West Side Story, Footloose). As the resident choreographer for the Newberg High School Theater Department, Liz has choreographed 6 main stage musicals (Honk!, Oliver, The Addams Family, Matilda, Mamma Mia!, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical) in addition to the musical theater class production of Little Women. She is currently a member of The Skylark Tappers and works as a librarian for Washington County.
Megan Ruth Smith is one of the instructors for our Adult Dance Series. A graduate of Central Washington University with a BFA in Musical Theatre Cum Laude, Megan is a professional theatre artist from the Pacific Northwest. Upon graduation, Megan was hired by Central as an adjunct in the BFA Musical Theatre program and served as the resident choreographer and dance instructor at her alma mater. Megan has worked with theaters throughout the Pacific and Inland Northwest including: Oregon Children’s Theatre, Seattle Children’s Theatre, Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre, Village Theatre KIDSTAGE, Broadway Rose Theatre Company, Pixie Dust Productions, Leavenworth Summer Theatre, Spotlight Musical Theatre Academy, and Walt Disney World.
https://meganruthsmith.wixsite.com/theatreartist
Production Photos
