Equal parts murder, mystery, music, and comedy are in store as the Sterling Community Theatre Troupe presents the new Broadway musical “Curtains” as part of Sterling’s Old Fashioned Fourth of July celebration. “Curtains” has a tuneful, toe-tapping musical score by the song writing team of John Kander and Fred Ebb famous for the musicals “Chicago” and “Cabaret.” The show will be staged at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, July 5 and 6 and at 3 p.m. on Sunday, July 7 in the Sterling High School Theatre.
Set in the golden age of musical theatre, “Curtains” is described as “a musical comedy whodunit.” It’s 1959, the golden age of musical theatre, and a new musical is trying out in Boston when the over-hyped, no-talent star is murdered during her opening night curtain call. A Boston detective is called in to solve the crime. Everyone’s a suspect — the domineering producer, the formerly married song-writing team, the egotistical director and a chorus full of Broadway hopefuls. The detective also happens to be a theatre lover and is just as interested in helping fix the problems with the show as he is with finding the killer.
The new musical was originally staged on Broadway five years ago and was recently seen at Music Theatre of Wichita. The Sterling Community Theatre Troupe’s production will feature a cast of Sterling community members, Sterling High School and Sterling College faculty as well as high school and college students.
Tickets for “Curtains” are $10 for adults and $5 for students and will be available at the door before each performance.