In a time where Broadway theaters are closed and so many people cannot experience the community of theater right now, the community has come together in different ways to support the arts and celebrate the unique feeling of excitement and catharsis one can only gain from the theater. Most people have heard of how Disney+ released Lin Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton on July 3rd this previous summer, and this was received with celebration. However, many are unaware of a project that was created and released during quarantine called A Killer Party.
This musical was written and filmed over quarantine and each actor filmed themselves individually from their own home. It featured well-known Broadway actors and actresses such as Laura Osnes, Drew Gehling, Jeremy Jordan, Alex Newell, Michael James Scott, and more. It is available for only $12 on Vimeo. The premise of this musical is a comical murder mystery guided by an aspiring detective. An enthusiastic producer and playwright proposes a new show to his cast of flamboyant actors at a dinner party about a murder at sea. The characters within his play include a leading lady used to the spotlight who is disappointed to receive a supporting role, the leading man, a warm-hearted and quirky stage manager, and a costume designer who never breaks character. They all gather at the playwright’s house, he proposes the play over dinner, and then suddenly the lights go out. When the lights come back on, the playwright is face down in his soup.
A series of laugh-out-loud musical numbers steer the storyline along as the detective attempts to piece together the murder. Now, I am slightly biased given I love musical theater, but I found this show thoroughly entertaining, making me laugh with every over the top ballad, accusation through song, and exaggerated costume change. It did a superb job of bringing the Broadway stage into our homes through the creative technical work used to bring the individually filmed excerpts together to make a fully composed piece of musical theater. If you love over the top, laugh out loud, musical theater with a touch of detective work, then you will love A Killer Party. If you just love a good time, you will also find this musical entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable.