By Wendy Carson

Defiance Comedy is known for its zany musical spoofs and original content. This year this local comic crew brings us a delightful new treat for the holidays, “Claus Out,” a hilarious parody of the “Knives Out” film franchise.

Twenty years ago, Rudolph was murdered. While Prancer was initially charged, a lack of concrete evidence released him. Amid the chaos, Santa Claus disbanded his reindeer team.

Now, each reindeer has been mysteriously invited back to the scene of the crime, where Santa plans to reveal the truth behind this tragedy. Unfortunately, he is murdered just prior to the revelation. Now there is a bigger case to be solved.

While you may think you know those involved, their true personalities and motives are much cloudier. Take Dasher (Austin Hookfin), dripping with jealousy at the usurping of his leadership role of the team; Dancer (Charlie Rankin) whose affair with a bad-boy reindeer threatens her goody-goody image; Prancer (Joseph David Massingale), the initial suspect whose two days in lock-up left a lasting impression; Vixen (Paige Scott), the sultry seductress with an eye towards wearing the Big Hat; Comet (Shelby Myers), who thinks this is all because Merry is in retrograde and perhaps the right crystal/tea combination will fix everything; Cupid (Preston Dildine), whom everyone loathes, but he used his hiatus from the team to become an internet mogul; and Donder (Kelsey VanVoorst) and Blitzen (Ben Rockey) who are unabashedly German party animals though perhaps a bit slow on the uptake.

Add into the mix, Elfie (Robin Kildall), who is just trying to keep the Christmas Spirit alive while going full fan-girl on the famous Detective Benoit Bellz (Jason Adams), who was also mysteriously invited in order to solve the crime.

Writer/Director Matt Kramer digs deep into his bag of treats to give us a bounty of laughs, gags and moments of pure comic delight. The amazingly talented cast brings his works and lyrics to life perfectly, not to mention their mastery of Emily Bohannon’s choreography.

Who killed the most famous reindeer? And their boss? As the cast sings in “Intermission Song,” you may think you know, but you’re probably wrong. Find out at the IndyFringe Theatre, 719 E. St. Clair St., Indianapolis, Dec. 8-10 and 14-16. For tickets, go to indyfringe.org.