GORHAM — The University of Southern Maine’s school of music will give four performances of “Assassins,” an unusual and controversial musical, opening Friday, Nov. 2.

“Assassins” is based on an idea by Charles Gilbert Jr. with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by John Weidman. Performed as a revue in one act, it offers up nine sharply drawn sketches of people who killed or attempted to assassinate U.S. presidents.

The score varies to reflect the popular music of the eras depicted, giving a nod to the all-American sounds of Foster, Sousa and Copland.

The musical opened Off-Broadway in 1990. The 2004 Broadway production won five Tony Awards.

Actors will play musical instruments throughout the play to help the stories along, Director Ed Reichert said. Besides acting and singing, half of the cast members will make their own “musical” contributions to the show’s orchestrations.

The actors’ characterizations will be historically accurate as well as complex and individual, Reichert said. 

“The audience should be prepared to be re-introduced to these criminals and just may find them to be funny, charming, passionate and distinctly American,” Reichert said. “Sondheim writes (about Oswald), ‘How could one inconsequential angry little man cause such universal grief and anguish? More important, why would he?’ That’s what ‘Assassins’ is about.”

Among the cast members are Christopher Ellis of Litchfield, Matt West of  Farmington, Joshua Witham of South Paris, Caleb Lacy of Durham and Emily Bashier Davis of Windham.

Shows are at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 2-3; and 2 and 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 4, at Corthell Concert Hall. For tickets, $15/$10/$5, call 780-5555 or visit usm.maine.edu/music/boxoffice.

“Assassins” is not appropriate for children due to mature language and subject matter. For more information on the school of music’s fall concert season, visit www.usm.maine.edu/music.