Murder mystery, musical comedy is Halloween fun

The Carson Community Center will be the scene of a theatrical crime this weekend that the audience can help solve in "Oh, Horrors! It's Murder!"

Carson High School's Capital Stars are performing the musical comedy written by Billy St. John with music and lyrics by Bill Francouer and featuring songs such as "Take Your Cotton-pickin' Hands Off My Corpse" and "Music in the House of Horrors."

"It's fluffy, Halloween fun," said Karen Chandler, CHS drama teacher and the musical's director.

Proceeds from the production's four performances will help fund the performing group's trip to a national theater competition in Seattle this spring as well as benefit a local food bank as part of a national program called Trick or Treat So Tots Can Eat.

The Capital Stars are "the cream of the crop," from Carson High's performing arts students, said Chandler. Students must be in both drama and choir and do a dance audition to be part of the program.

The production features about 35 students, including a cast of 14 and another dozen or so kids acting as mannequins welcoming theater goers in the lobby of the community center.

"They're like frozen house of wax statues," said Chandler. "It's like you've entered into a museum."

The action on stage takes place in a museum where famed Egyptologist Dirk Carlton is found murdered and a precious jewel is missing. Lt. Dan Morrow is soon on the case and must determine who among the museum visitors did the dirty deed.

"They are all stereotypes," said Chandler. "There's the wealthy museum patron, the jealous wife, the lawyer who wants to sue everybody."

And the audience inside the community center will be asked to help.

"The audience will make guesses, they'll ask questions of the suspects," said Chandler.

Performances are Oct. 9 and 10 at 7:30 p.m., Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. and Oct. 18 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $8 for general admission, $7 for students and seniors and $5 for CHS students.

The performance on Oct. 14 is part of the school's homecoming celebration as well as benefit for the food bank. Tickets for that performance are $3 plus a can of food.

"Last year we donated 1,000 pounds of food," said Chandler.

What: Capital Stars' production of "Oh, Horrors! It's Murder!"

Where: Carson Community Center, 851 E. William St.

When: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 9-10, 7 p.m. Oct. 14, and 2 p.m. Oct. 18

Cost: $8 for general admission, $7 for students and seniors, $5 for CHS students. Tickets for the Oct. 14 performance are $3 plus a can of food to benefit a local food bank.

Details: For more information, call 283-1683 or 230-8919.