The Phoenix Theatre Company’s 2026/27 Season Opens with the Madcap Musical Comedy Murder for Two

(PHOENIX, August 6, 2026) – Murder is on the menu when Murder for Two, a perfect pairing of musical comedy and murder mystery, takes the stage at The Phoenix Theatre Company’s Hormel Theatre from August 26 through September 20, 2026.

Written by Joe Kinosian and Kellen Blair, with music by Kinosian and lyrics by Blair, Murder for Two is a 90-minute zany whodunit that the New York Times dubbed an “ingenious miniature musical in the form of a snazzy vaudevillian double act.”

Why is it called Murder for Two? Because two actors play every role. One investigates the crime, while the other portrays all ten suspects.

On a dark and stormy night at an isolated mansion in rural New England, Dahlia Witney, the wife of a celebrated crime novelist, throws her husband a surprise birthday party. But the festivities take a deadly turn when he opens the door and is promptly shot. Surprise!

With the nearest detective an hour away, ambitious police officer Marcus Moscowicz seizes the opportunity to crack the case. He interrogates each eccentric suspect in hopes of uncovering whodunit. Was it the local psychiatrist who cannot keep a secret, especially when it involves one of his patients? The prima ballerina with a talent for dancing around the truth? Or Mrs. Witney herself, who seems suspiciously cheerful for someone who just witnessed her husband’s murder?

To discover which suspect held the smoking gun, audiences will have to wait until the final curtain.

For co-creator Joe Kinosian, the production marks an especially welcome return to Arizona, where the show’s original national tour began.

“I’m elated that Murder for Two is returning to the Phoenix area!” said Kinosian. “The original national tour started in Arizona, and I have fond memories of the gorgeous scenery, enthusiastic crowds, and wearing oven mitts in order to touch my steering wheel. So excited to hear how audiences respond to Jackson Evans and Jason Hammond’s hilarious performances under Rod Kaat’s fabulous direction.”

Rod Kaats, who directed the acclaimed production of The Lehman Trilogy, returns to The Phoenix Theatre Company to direct Murder for Two. Kaats described the show saying, “This musical plays with many of the classic murder-mystery tropes: a shadowy mansion on a stormy night, a gunshot in the dark, an ever-growing body count, red herrings galore, and a room full of suspects. Except these possible perps are hilariously unhinged and more focused on grabbing the spotlight than convincing anyone they aren’t the “who” whodunit.”

The score of Murder for Two is a fast-paced, vaudevillian, and jazzy blend of ragtime, classic musical comedy, and comic pastiche which Music Director Alan J. Plado brings to life on the piano.

The Murder for Two cast, all two of them, features Chicago actor Jackson Evans as the Suspects and Phoenix based actor Jason M. Hammond as Marcus Moscowicz.

Known for his prolific work in musical theater and comedies across the Chicagoland area, Jackson Evans has earned multiple Joseph Jefferson Award nominations for standout roles at prominent regional houses like the Marriott Theatre, Paramount Theatre, and Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Evans makes his Phoenix Theatre Company debut with Murder for Two.

Jason M. Hammond has toured the nation (six times!) as Santa in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Arizona audiences know him for his hilarious turn as Orin Scrivello, D.D.S., in Little Shop of Horrors and his recent appearance as Bert in Mary Poppins. Hammond returns to The Phoenix Theatre Company, having previously appeared in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time.

FULL CAST
The Suspects: Jackson Evans*, Marcus Moscowicz: Jason M. Hammond*
Understudy: Ryan Monaghan

CREATIVE TEAM
Directed by Rod Kaats, Music Direction by Alan J. Plado, Choreography by Molly Lajoie, Scenic Design by Douglas Clarke, Costume Design by Martha Clarke, Lighting Design by Nathaniel White, Sound Design by Matt Drui, Stage Manager Emma D. Emde, Assistant Stage Manager Maylea Bauers
*Denotes members of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers
Tickets can be purchased at phoenixtheatre.com or (602) 254-2151.

DETAILS
Dates: August 26 – September 20, 2026
Location: The Phoenix Theatre Company, Hormel Theatre
Tickets: phoenixtheatre.com | (602) 254-2151
Audio Description and American Sign Language interpretation performance dates can be found at phoenixtheatre.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Joe Kinosian and Kellen Blaire met in the BMI Musical Theatre Writing Workshop and have been collaborating ever since. Their murder mystery musical Murder for Two premiered at Chicago Shakespeare Theater in 2011, where its run was extended four times and won Joseph Jefferson Award for Best New Musical. During the show’s subsequent Off-Broadway run, the show earned nominations from the Drama Desk Awards, Drama League Awards and Outer Critics Circle Awards. It Came From Outer Space, their zany musical comedy based on the 1953 Universal Pictures sci-fi cult classic and story by Ray Bradbury, was produced at Chicago Shakespeare Theater in 2022. Kellen and Joe have had their work performed on Broadway, at the Kennedy Center, and various theaters across the country. They’re proud members of ASCAP and the recipients of the 2013 ASCAP Foundation Mary Rodgers / Lorenz Hart Award.

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
Rod Kaats, a New York-based director and producer, was one of the producers of the Broadway production of Girl from the North Country nominated for seven 2022 Tony Awards® including Best Musical. Among the shows he produced as the Producing Artistic Director of Broadway @ the Ordway in St. Paul, MN was the pre-Broadway production of Six. At The Phoenix Theatre Company, he was the Associate Producer for Ever After and the director of The Lehman Trilogy.

ABOUT THE PHOENIX THEATRE COMPANY

The Phoenix Theatre Company is not only the largest professional regional theatre company in the state, with over 600 performances each year on multiple stages, but it’s also the first arts organization in Arizona and a founding member of the Central Arts District. Committed to advancing the performing arts in the Valley, The Phoenix Theatre Company’s mission is to create exceptional theatrical experiences that inspire hope and understanding. For more information, visit www.phoenixtheatre.com