Spirited Ricky Graham show also stars Trina Beck

You may have a ghost of a chance to scare up some tickets to The Mysterious Wisterias starring Ricky Graham at the National World War II Museum"s Stage Door Canteen in downtown New Orleans. The original musical comedy, penned by Graham and Sean Patterson, actually stars a ghost. It"s a rollicking who-done-it with multiple murders … or is the crumbling Louisiana mansion haunted?

As local favorite thespian Graham cavorts through five — or is it six? — roles on the stage, Trina Beck holds the center of the show and moves the plot forward. She plays the “Girl Friday” newspaper reporter, Loretta Scott, who tries to solve the murders.

MIRANDA SINCLAIR:—Your body is a distillery with legs.

Beck, assistant dean for programs in Newcomb-Tulane College, keeps honing her chops as an actor, singer and dancer, in addition to holding down her day job at Tulane University.

Theodore P. Mahne, who reviewed the show for The Times-Picayune, said Beck"s performance “is reminiscent of the elegant but sharp-tongued Rosalind Russell, taking an authoritative role from her first appearance in the room.” Beck sings and dances deftly in her solo number, “G.I. Jive,” and she never leaves the stage from the moment of her entrance. But her biggest challenge in the show may be keeping a straight face.

“I have this thing I do backstage when I"m in a show — a ridiculous interpretive dance to entertain the cast,” Beck says. “Sean and [choreographer] Heidi Malnar said, "We saw your goofy dance! We love that!" and they worked that goofiness into my number.”

Her favorite line in the show? She pauses for several beats, contemplating the many hilarious lines and visual gags.

“Your body is a distillery with legs.”

Discounted tickets are available for the Halloween night performance, and the show plays through Nov. 23 at the World War II Museum.