Five Men, Five Joan Crawford’s and One Deadly Party Make for a Killer Night at Island City Stage.

October 3rd, 2026

The award-winning Island City Stage launches its 15th anniversary season with Michael Leeds’ wickedly entertaining murder mystery Who Killed Joan Crawford?

Set on a dark and stormy night in 1993, the story brings five men to a secluded cabin for a surprise birthday party for soap opera star Trick Rogers. There is one unusual requirement: each guest has been asked to dress as Joan Crawford in one of her signature film roles.

But this isn’t simply a group of friends gathered for a birthday party. These are people with histories, ambitions, desires and resentments. The Joan Crawford costumes may provide the initial joke, but the characters themselves provide the fuel for the mystery when someone turns up dead.

The production gradually peels away the camp to reveal the insecurities underneath. Careers are threatened. Relationships are questioned. Secrets come tumbling out. The more the characters talk, the more suspicious everyone becomes.

Who Killed Joan Crawford? photo by Matthew Tippin

Jay Eisler makes a brief but memorable appearance as soap opera star Trick Rogers, the man whose birthday has brought everyone together, but to say more would give away the plot.

Stephen Trovillion is Leo Lawrence, a Broadway composer struggling to find his next hit. Trovillion brings an unapologetically direct quality to the nearly narcissistic Leo. He mines the character for comedic gold and is adept at delivering stinging one-liners.

Bruce Linser plays wealthy investor Gene Harlow, a man with a pronounced taste for younger men. Linser has a calmer, more emotionally mature presence than his friends in attendance while also somehow managing to look elegant in a gown.

Michael Coppola is solid as businessman Harvey Goldberg. He is the seeming voice of reason, as his history with the rest of the group is the least messy.

As Stewart Fry, the therapist to the stars, Christopher Dreeson has an unease and awkwardness that at times make him the butt of a joke but provide great counterpoint to the characters around him.

Luke Di Liddo, as David Hoch, the young ghostwriter, brings an appropriately youthful energy to the group while giving David an intriguing combination of innocence and ambition. His story waits to unfold.

The Joan Crawford conceit gives the production an additional layer of theatrical fun. Each character’s interpretation of Crawford becomes part of the comedy, while the very idea of five men inhabiting one of Hollywood’s most legendary divas creates opportunities for some wonderfully outrageous moments.

But Who Killed Joan Crawford? isn’t simply a parade of wigs and clever one-liners. It’s an examination of the eccentric, complicated people who inhabit its tale, and it is their eccentricities that pave the way for the plot’s twists and turns, ultimately leading to a surprise ending.

Who Killed Joan Crawford? photo by Matthew Tippin

There is something wonderfully refreshing about sitting in a theatre and watching a show that isn’t afraid to be unabashedly entertaining. Who Killed Joan Crawford? doesn’t ask its audience to admire its cleverness from a distance. It invites us to join the party.

For 15 years, Island City Stage has built a reputation for presenting work that celebrates LGBTQ+ voices while refusing to sacrifice humor, theatricality or sheer entertainment value. Who Killed Joan Crawford? feels like a perfect anniversary-season choice because it embodies that spirit.

Who Killed Joan Crawford? runs October 1–25 at Island City Stage. The production lasts approximately 90 minutes with no intermission. Special events include a Mimosa Sunday performance on October 11 and Women’s Night at the Theatre, featuring a pre-show reception, on October 23. For tickets and additional information, visit Island City Stage.