Lake Tahoe Community College the Hollywood murder mystery “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940” on March 11-20.

It is a fast-paced and funny who-done-it play about the creative team responsible for a recent Broadway flop, in which three chorus girls were murdered by the mysterious “Stage Door Slasher.” They assemble for a backer’s audition of their new show at the Westchester estate of a wealthy “angel.” The house contains sliding panels, secret passageways, and a German maid who is apparently four different people—all of which figure diabolically into the mayhem that follows when the infamous “Slasher” returns to strike again—and again. As the composer, lyricist, actors and director prepare their performance, and a blizzard cuts off all escape, bodies start to drop in plain sight, knives spring out of nowhere, masked figures drag victims behind swiveling bookcases, and accusing fingers point in all directions.

LTCC’s cast brings familiar and new faces to the Duke Theatre stage. Frank Riley is the bumbling detective intent on finding the “Slasher;” Carolin Hansa is the owner of the mansion who is obsessed with espionage; Chris Taylor is the artsy director with a bad habit of name-dropping every celebrity he has supposedly worked with; Fritz Schlottman is the flamboyant and slightly neurotic composer; Pam Taylor is the high-strung lyricist who always has a drink in her hand, if not the entire bottle; Diana Evans plays the overly-dramatic producer; Jered Stowell is a seriously struggling comedian and Samantha Bender is the spunky chorus girl who brings out the best in him; Elliott Smart is the Irish Tenor with a questionable dialect; and Ashley Wallick is the maid who ends up murdered…or does she?

Performances of “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940” are March 11, 12, 17, 18, 19 at 7:30pm, with matinees on March 13 and 20 at 2pm. High school and college students with a valid student I.D. card can see the show for free on March 17. Simply present a valid student ID at the Duke Theatre box office for as long as tickets are available. Free tickets for this performance are not available in advance.

Tickets are $10 general admission, and $5 for seniors, groups of eight or more, and students with a valid student ID. Tickets may be purchased in advance at LTCC’s Bookstore Monday through Thursday. The box office will be open for ticket sales one hour before all performances.