Legendary Tucson theater director bows out after 49 years

Susan Claassen will direct her final show as Invisible Theatre's managing artistic director after a career spanning 49 of the company’s 52 years.

Claassen has left the door open to possibly direct again, but she is leaving the company’s artistic direction in the hands of Associate Managing Artistic Director Betsy Kruse Craig.

In a note to her Invisible Theatre “family” posted on the company’s website last month, Claassen said that “2024 is the perfect time to pass the ‘sequined torch’ of artistic leadership” to Kruse.

Claassen’s tenure officially ends on July 1, when she will take on an emeritus role. She will continue on as an artistic advisor through year’s end.

Claassen is directing the company’s 52nd season finale “Thriller of the Year,” which runs through Sunday, May 5. The show, by Glyn Jones, is a whodunnit mystery featuring an all-star, all-women Invisible Theatre cast: Betsy Kruse Craig, To-Ree-Nee Wolf, Molly McKasson, Susan Baker and Meagan Jones.

Here’s the story: Gillian Howard is a successful crime novelist who has just received the award for “Thriller of the Year” when she returns home late to find a copy of her latest award-winning book, “The Lady is Dead.” There’s no note attached to say who sent it.

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The plot thickens as the evening unfolds, and Gillian becomes the victim of a series of unfortunate accidents, all attempts to kill her using the methods from her book. Everyone who visits her home then becomes a suspect as Gillian races against time to identify her would-be murderer before it’s too late.

The show, which runs 85 minutes with no intermission, will be on stage at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through May 5 at Invisible Theatre, 1400 N. First Ave.

Tickets are $40, with group discounts available through invisibletheatre.com or by calling 520-882-9721.