What better way to dress up a play about a murder than with some rollicking music? A new, snappy title? Or some overweight nieces worked into the cast?

It’s all part of the fun when the mob meets art in Albert Lea Community Theatre’s first production of the season, “Breaking Legs.” The comedy, directed by Rory Mattson, opens tonight at the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center.

“Breaking Legs,” written by Tom Dulack, is set in the back room of an Italian restaurant.

When a college English teacher, Terence (played by Craig Johnson), writes his first play about death, he calls on a favorite former student Angie Graziano (Lindsay Beach) to help him find a producer and financial backer for his show to bring it to Broadway. Her father, Lou (Larry Pierce), not only runs an Italian restaurant, but is the head of a local Italian organization. When the godfathers tackle show business, they’re starstruck.

The show also features Mark Place as Mike, Steve Schwartz as Tino — Lou’s business associates — and Brian Mattson as Frankie, who has had the misfortune of borrowing some money from the godfathers and can’t seem to pay it back.

The potential backers turn out to be a bit more than Terence bargained for in more ways than one. He sees what happens to people who don’t repay loans these people have made. And they’re full of suggestions about revamping the play — changing the title, turning it into a musical and even adding one of the nieces of Mike’s wife to the cast.

Meanwhile, Angie confesses that she’s always been attracted to Terence and, since Lou would love to see her married off and giving him lots of grandkids, well, when push comes to shove, we do see who really wears the pants in the family.

Albert Lea Community Theatre’s production of “Breaking Legs” will be presented tonight through Saturday and Nov. 18-21 at the Marion Ross Perforaming Arts Center. Curtain time is 7:30 p.m.

For tickets, call the box office at 377-4371. Box office hours are from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. before Thursday and Friday performances, and 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. before Saturday performances.

Newcomers Beach, Johnson and Brian Mattson rise to their roles on the stage.

Beach makes a believable and very attractive Angie, who seems content with running the restaurant and keeping an eye on expenses — until Terence enters the picture.

Johnson is also believable as the reserved college professor, whose play was a big hit in Belgium and Buffalo. “But what does anyone in Buffalo know about plays?” he asks.

He’s also smart enough to know not to correct his potential backers when they believe he’s talking to other backers (some other Italian nicknamed Blowfish), shopping for a better deal, and they might not get cut out of the action.

Mattson, while only on stage for a short time, convincingly plays the nervous — and soon to be late — Frankie.

Then we have the three seasoned comics — Pierce, Place and Schwartz — who are in their element as these “bad boy” Italians. Schwartz is quiet much of the time, waiting to throw out his zingers. Place, though his character “never graduated sixth grade,” clearly has his ideas about the play. Didn’t some scenes have a ring of authenticity? Is he a cold-blooded killer? “What do we really know about this guy?” he asks.

There’s a little of the crazy in a guy who arranges to “take care of” the funeral expenses for Frankie after he has his tragic “accident.” But when funeral directors and caterers owe Mike a “favor,” who’s to argue.

And Pierce, with fantasies about arriving on opening night in a stretch limousine, a bimbo on his arm, red carpets and Connie Chung and Channel 5 news, once again gets the laughs.

The plan runs about two hours, including intermission.

The crew includes Tony Segura and Rachael Thompson as stage managers, Kris Barley as tech stage manager, Karen Szymanowski as property stage manager, Kathy Brekke as prop tech, Rosalie Truax as costumer, Gordy Handeland on lights and properties and Deanne Winegar as production manager.

This is an adult comedy, so don’t bring your elementary-age children. High-schoolers and older should enjoy it, however.

All in all, it’s a hilarious look at these tough guys trying to take charge of something they know nothing about and get a little culture, too.