Interview: Chatting with Director Michael Kostroff of MURDER FOR TWO at STAGES St. Louis

The STAGES St. Louis season opens at the end of May with the hilarious musical whodunit Murder for Two. A famed novelist is killed at his surprise birthday party and everyone attending is a suspect. A small-town police detective, piano playing Marcus Moscowitz, arrives to investigate and question all 12 suspects. The 12 suspects are all played by one piano playing actor. The zany music-filled murder mystery unfolds as Detective Moscowitz interviews the eccentric party guests.  

STAGES St. Louis artistic director Gayle Seay knew she had to find the perfect team to lead this madcap comedic thriller. Casting two actors who are piano playing virtuosos, plus standby actors for each role was hard enough, but she immediately knew who she wanted to direct. Enter Michael Kostroff.  

Kostroff is a multi-hyphenate actor, author, director, and educator. While he’s most well-known for his recurring role on HBO’s “The Wire,” Kostroff has an extensive acting resume with nearly one hundred television and film roles. He has performed as Monsieur Thénardier in the touring company of Les Misérables, and was a member of the company in the first national tour of Mel Brooks’ Tony Award winning production of The Producers. In addition to acting, Kostroff has directed a handful of plays and musical including Neil Simon’s Laughter on the 23rd Floor and the musical smash Something Rotten.   

Broadway World had the opportunity to sit down with Kostroff to talk about STAGES St. Louis upcoming production of Murder for Two. He said, “My passion for theatre knows no bounds and the theatre will always be a part of my artistic appetite,” telling Broadway World that he came to St. Louis because the people here have a great love of theatre. 

He said, “I have to confess that as a New Yorker we tend to be a bit snobby about regional theatres, but the wonderful work being done here, and the audience passion for theater in St. Louis puts a real dent in the snobbery.” Kostroff believes St. Louis is a place where people really get the value that only live theatre can give. “I’ve been very impatient to get here and start work on Murder for Two.” 

Kostroff said, “Murder for Two is so goofball,” he continued, “there is so much opportunity for creativity.  It is very silly, and I love working on that kind of comedy.” He shared his philosophy that laughter is a necessary nutrient in our world today.  

He has taught classes at the STAGES St. Louis academy and visited St. Louis for auditions. He said that the staff at STAGES have an enthusiasm that you don’t always see other places. “I’ve quickly bonded with many here. They have a wonderful sense of humor.” 

When directing a show Kostroff invites his cast and technical team to share their ideas openly. “All creatives are honored, and all ideas are welcomed,” he shared, “trusting your team creates a much better show.”  

Kostroff and Seay found casting to be a tricky process because the actors must be versatile, virtuoso pianists, and good singers. Kostroff said, “We were very lucky to cast the incredibly talented Jeremiah Ginn. He has done multiple productions of the show and will serve double duty as musical director.” Ginn played the role of the suspects as part of the off-Broadway company and on the national tour. 

Detective Marcus Moscowitz will be played by Ian Fairlee. Kostroff thoughtfully shared “I was looking for a particular quality in the actor who would play the young ambitious detective. Ian has a sincerity that will make the audience root for him and fall in love with him.”  

Kostroff and Seay were also fortunate to find two equally skilled understudies. “We were extraordinarily lucky to find John Wascavage and Quinn Corcoran who’ve both done the show many times and can step into the roles on a moment's notice,” says Kostroff. He likened their readiness to that of a SWAT team.  

“Audiences can expect a musical comedy murder mystery with a lot of surprises,” Kostroff laughed. “It is like a magic trick watching the actors quickly go from character to character while taking turns on the piano. It's just very very funny.” 

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