A murder mystery set aboard a passenger train in 1937 will pull into StageCenter in downtown Bryan on Friday and Saturday, complete with an octet of suspects, lots of clues and a hearty Italian meal. The audience will be invited to question the suspects and then vote on who the murderer is.

Murder on the Petulant Express is the annual summer dinner theater presentation for StageCenter, the oldest community theater group in Bryan and College Station.

The mystery surrounds the death of industrialist Peter Petulant in the presidential car of his own train on the way from New York to Chicago. Discovery of the murder occurs moments before the play begins.

A police chief tells about clues found at the murder scene and introduces the suspects, who include Bavarian brewer Franz Fassmacher, English mystery writer Christine Agatha, Southern senator Thurm Stroman, Norwegian figure skater Tonya Fennie, Australian crocodile hunter Dingo Dugan, Italian opera singer Arianna Altamonte, baseball player Kid Root and fashion designer Francine Cooper.

As you can tell, the production has its tongue firmly in its cheek.

After the characters are introduced, the main course of minestrone, lasagna, salad and wine, catered by Caffé Capri, will be served.

Each table will be given more clues and the characters will go from table to table to answer any questions the diners might have.

At the conclusion of the meal, more clues are given and dessert is served. After dessert, the diners at each table will vote on who they think committed the dastardly deed.

At the end, the chief of police will reveal who the real murderer is.

Members of the cast are Chuck Beard, Larry Boozer, Jamey Knowles, J'wan Petitjean, Harold Presley, Amy Ressler, Jonathan Sneed, Harmony Turk and Nancy Woods.

Murder on the Petulant Express is directed by Evelyn Callaway, who is making her directorial debut with StageCenter.

Tickets for the murder mystery dinner theater are $30 for singles or $50 for couples.

They are available at the Arts Council of Brazos Valley, 2275 Dartmouth St. in College Station. They also may be reserved by calling 778-9513 and leaving your name, how many tickets you need and your VISA or MasterCard number and expiration date.

StageCenter is at 201-B W. 26th Street, above Mr. G's Pizza. There is an elevator for patrons who need one.

Doors will open at 7 p.m., with the play beginning at 7:30.

Final performance

The final performance of Pajama Game, the last production of The Theatre Company's 2007-2008 season, will be at 2 p.m. today at its theater in Bryan's Tejas Center, behind Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts.

Directed by Randy Wilson, the musical stars Matt Kriger, Deborah Campbell, Harold Presley, Adrienne Dobson and Mark Taylor. Choreography is by Dobson and Aubrey Arceneaux.

Pajama Game has music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The book was written by the legendary George Abbott and Richard Bissell. Among its well-known songs are Hey There, Steam Heat, Hernando's Hideaway and There Once Was a Man.

Tickets are $12 and are available at The Theatre Company box office before show time. Season tickets for the 2008-2009 season featuring Chicago and The Producers also are on sale at the box office.

Portraits and

self-portraits

Fifty works of art in various media -- depicting well-known artists, actors, writers and musicians -- are on display at the J. Wayne Stark University Center Galleries on the Texas A&M University campus through Sept. 11.

The exhibit was organized by the Syracuse University Art Collection and includes portraits and self-portraits by James McNeill Whistler, Thomas Eakins, Charlie Chaplin, C.S. Lewis, Pablo Casals, Milton Avery, Chuck Close, Leonard Baskin, Edward Steichen, Norman Rockwell and Anders Zorn.

The Stark Galleries are at the northeast corner of A&M's Memorial Student Center. The galleries are open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and noon to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. There is no charge for admission, and tours are available.

Master's program

If approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Texas A&M University will begin offering the state's first master's degree in performance studies.

The master's program would be unique in that it would be the only one in the nation to feature an interdisciplinary approach focusing on music, theater and popular performance. Master's programs at other schools focus mainly on theater.

Performance studies at A&M encompasses theater, communication, folklore, anthropology and ethnimusicology -- the study of social aspects of making music. Like other universities, A&M's performance studies program includes traditional art forms, as well as a broad range of cultural expressions including rituals, festivals, religious ceremonies, games, parades, storytelling, clothing, folklore, indigenous arts and the mass media.

"This program prepares students for a wide range of careers in arts organizations, cultural development work, and education," said Judith Hamera, head of the department of performance studies in the College of Liberal Arts. "The proposed degree is a wonderful opportunity to meet the spirit of Vision 2020, to develop unique arts and humanities programs here at Texas A&M."

The U.S. Bureau of Labor says job prospects in the arts and humanities are expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations through at least 2016.

A&M's Board of Regents endorsed the new master's program earlier this month.

• Arts-related news may be submitted to features@theeagle.com or faxed to 776-8923.