Showstopper

Expectations of a carefree summer at theater camp take a fatal turn in this splashy thriller by Anderson (Killer House Party). This year is Afro-Boricua 17-year-old Faye’s final summer attending Ghostlight Youth Theater Camp with her closest friends. As such, it’s also the last opportunity for Faye to break out of her being typecast in white-passing roles. But the camp vibes go sour before the program can even begin when its director is found dead backstage at a previous job. Though the event is ruled an accident, and Ghostlight instates a new director to replace him, subsequent deaths of the camp’s crew and actors sow further unease. Despite Faye’s suspicion that there’s something sinister at play—a feeling that’s exacerbated by the appearance of a mysterious figure wearing a commedia dell’arte mask—her fellow campers seem convinced that the situation is just a series of tragic events and theater pranks gone wrong. As the body count rises, Faye struggles to both ensure her and her friends’ safety and make it big in her final show. While the narrative’s focus on thespian drama often deflates tension throughout the murder mystery plot, Anderson effectively captures the over-the-top atmosphere of theater camp, resulting in plenty of dark humor. Ages 14–up. Agent: Laura Zats, Headwater Literary. (Sept.)