5 Questions with Brandon Lambert, Star of NC Theatre's "Murder for Two"

On Friday, April 26th, North Carolina Theatre will debut its production of Murder for Two. Described as the perfect blend of music, mayhem, and murder, this hilarious show features two performers who play 13 roles–not to mention the piano–in a witty and winking homage to old-fashioned murder mysteries.

In the production, New York City-based songwriter and actor Brandon Lambert stars as Marcus Moscowicz,. He previously starred in the first national tour, Canadian premiere, and various regional productions of Murder for Two. His debut musical At First Sight was commissioned and produced by the Mountain Playhouse in 2017. He's also had five Theatre for Young Audiences musicals commissioned and produced by Mt. Gretna Theatre.

Here at Triangle Arts Review, we were lucky enough to ask Brandon five key questions about his upcoming role and this exciting new show.

Tell us about your character…

We were excited to learn more about the "Marcus" role in the performance, and Brandon did not disappoint. He describes Marcus as "am ambitious young police office hoping to be a detective."

What is the most challenging thing about playing this character?

While, unlike his co-star, Martin Landry, Brandon might not have to juggle multiple characters at once, he does have the challenge of "not breaking," which he describes as "when an actor laughs when they shouldn't."

Brandon tells us that, "It's extraordinarily difficult not to laugh when doing scenes with Martin. He's a comedic genius, always making surprising, hilarious choices that keep me on my toes."

How do your performance challenges differ from that of your co-star?

And speaking of Brandon's co-star, the two actors' roles couldn't be more different. Brandon explains that "Our characters differ greatly. The Suspects (the line-up of characters played by Landry) is the clown of the show, whereas Marcus is the 'straight man,' the half of the duo who is expected to maintain composure."

What or who do you consider your “inspirations” for your performance?

Brandon didn't have to look far to find what inspires him. His inspiration, he says, "is the material." Brandon tells us that, "the script and score are hilarious, smart, and a joy to work on."

What do you think audiences will most enjoy about the production?

Brandon has no doubt that "the audience will love [the show]. It's an evening full of great jokes, catchy tunes, and a great story."

With that type of ringing endorsement, we're definitely excited to see what Friday's opening night performance brings!

To see it for yourself, buy your tickets now! The show runs through May 5, 2019 in A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater at Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Raleigh, but tickets are going fast!