Monty Navarro faces a love triangle and many life-or-death decisions in “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder.”
The musical comedy, the latest in the MSC OPAS 2017-2018 season, will be performed by the touring Broadway cast Tuesday and Wednesday evening at Rudder Theatre. The show premiered on Broadway in 2013 and won four Tony awards the following year.
Gentleman’s Guide is a musical about Monty Navarro, a poor British man who finds out he is eighth in line to inherit a fabulous family fortune. Once he learns this, Monty sets out to “get rid of” the relatives before him. According to Ryne Nardecchia, the show’s dance captain and swing actor, Monty has a reason to work hard, and comedy lies in the different ways he kills off his family members.
“The reason he’s doing all this is because he’s in love with this girl and he’s doing it to impress her, show her he can support her and whatnot,” Nardecchia said. “There’s a love triangle that happens, in addition to all of these murders. It’s a really fun show.”
According to Nardecchia, students can relate to Monty, who ponders about his future and wonders what he will amount to in his life.
“You have that thought whenever you’re leaving school of ‘Okay, I spent all this time learning and figuring out. I know what I want to do. Now can I make it happen?’” Nardecchia said. “I think everyone has that want to be significant and have some kind of community.”
Madison Hughes, OPAS director at-large, said students can find connections in any musical and should take advantage of special student ticket deals.
“I strongly believe that musicals are not just for the students who did theatre in high school or those interested in performing arts,” Hughes said. “You can make a connection with the storyline of a show or the emotions of the actress in a performance, no matter what they may be. For me, it’s a temporary escape from reality and a chance to immerse myself in a new story that is unfolding on the stage, right before my very eyes.”
The Rudder Box Office offers student rush tickets, which allow students to buy tickets at extreme discounts on the day of the show. For $25, students will receive the best unsold ticket available for the night’s performance.
“I would encourage anyone and everyone to take advantage of this amazing opportunity,” Hughes said. “Only while you’re a student will you get to see huge Broadway performances for $25.”
Nardecchia explained that one actor has multiple roles, and is constantly on stage and being targeted by Monty’s scheme.
“Our actor, James Taylor Odom, plays every member of the family,” Nardecchia said. “The comedy is where he pops up next and who he’s going to be next. In essence, it’s like Monty is killing the same man over and over again, but the man is a different character the whole time.”
Anne Black, OPAS executive director, said she is excited about seeing the show and grateful to have incredible talent coming to the Texas A&M campus.
“I expect people to love it,” Black said. “It’s hysterically funny and the music is wonderful. I think it’s wonderful to have a campus that offers this. Not every campus has major Broadway productions coming through, so it’s a real opportunity to see a Broadway show right here in College Station.”