The Musical Magic in A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder 

By Liz Armstrong, guest writer 

Musicals have long been part of what patrons love to see at the Utah Shakespeare Festival. Hearing our patron’s requests, and after not producing one last season for various reason, the Festival is thrilled to share the magic of the musical, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, this season.

Additionally, the Festival is doing something it rarely does. Music Director Brad Carroll plays the piano live on stage, bringing the feeling and spirit of British Music Hall––an equivalent to American Vaudeville––to the Randall L. Jones Theatre. Carroll will conduct the actors, as needed, while also playing the live music alongside pre-recorded tracks, sound effects, and comedic interludes.

“Instead of standing in the booth in the back and triggering all the cues with my index finger [on a computer], I’ll be sitting at the piano cueing them with my left foot,” Carroll said. “I say, ‘Why not?’” 

Regarding the decision for the fresh take on the show, Director Amanda Berg Wilson said she “was inspired by opportunities where we can invite the audience into the space with us.” She and Carroll, along with Festival technical and props artisans, built an interconnected piano, computer, and sound system.

The Festival talked with Carroll about the show and creating this fresh take of live music onstage.

Festival: Have you worked on A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder before? 

Carroll: It’s a fairly new play; it’s only about ten years old. We haven’t done it at the Festival, but I directed a production in 2018 at Pacific Conservatory Theatre [in California]. So I’m very familiar with the play, but it’s fun to be now just focusing on the music. 

Festival: Why are you excited for this show? 

Carroll: Amanda’s whole conceit for the play is so much fun. It’ll be really theatrical, which just opens up a whole new world for the play. Gentleman’s Guide is clever, smart, and hilarious. It’s so infected with the British sense of humor, which I really love. 

Festival: Why should our patrons come see the show? 

Caroll: It’s fresh and new. It’s based on an old movie, and a book before that, that most people don’t know. It’ll be a constant series of surprises for our audiences––it’s so engaging and there’s so much to love about it. 

Festival: How do you feel about having a more active role [onstage] this season? 

Caroll: I’m going to be doing a lot more than playing the piano. But I have a history of that; my first professional job was at a Vaudeville house. So I go way back doing this kind of wacky stuff. I love this whole idea. 

Festival: How are you going to tackle it? 

Caroll: The more I work on creating these tracks . . . it’s a lot for two hands and two feet and two ears to take on. There’s so much to juggle. We’re using a lot of technology. The piano that I’ll be sitting at is like a control center. There’s a computer in it; there’s an electronic keyboard; there’s a foot pedal for me to cue all the sound cues as they come. As the sound cue starts playing, I will be playing along with it. The technology has been around for awhile, we’ve just never used it this way [at the Festival]. 

Festival: What would you say to our patrons who are thinking about attending the show? 

Caroll: This is going to be such a romp. It’s a musical, but it’s also a hilarious comedy, sort of like Clue. One actor plays nine different people, and you get to see some of the transitions. We are letting the audience in on those theatrical notions. If people like the magic of theatre, they’re going to get to see it in Gentleman’s Guide. 

Festival: What should patrons expect regarding the content of the play?

Caroll: I think people see the word “murder” and get nervous, but there’s nothing to be nervous about. It’s going to be absolute fun. And the music is comical and beautiful and so accessible . . . it’s like British Broadway. 

The Festival invites patrons to join in on this theatrical escapade, as A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder is the perfect blend of humor, music, and fun, making it the ideal play for both first-time and experienced theatregoers. 

For a quick synopsis of the play and content advisory, click here. A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder previewed on June 19 and closes October 3. Tickets are available to purchase at 800-PLAYTIX or online.