A PLAYSCRIPTS TITLE

How to Get Away with a Murder Mystery

Short Play, Comedy  /  2w, 2m, 9 any gender (adult) plus ensemble

Told in a style similar to 10 Ways To Survive The Zombie Apocalypse, this show hilariously skewers the tropes of the murder mystery: an airtight alibi, a long-winded monologue by a detective with an accent and even an impossibly complicated Rube Goldberg murder device.

How to Get Away with a Murder Mystery

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    2w, 2m, 9 any gender (adult) plus ensemble
  • Duration
    Duration
    40 minutes
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Mystery/Thriller, Parody/Spoof
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Pre-Teen (Age 11-13), Teen (Age 14-18)
How to Get Away with a Murder Mystery

Details

Summary

Five mysterious color-coded guests. A mansion. A murder. Can the killer get away with it? And how will the sleuths bring them to justice? A handy guide to escaping the law when one happens to be a prime suspect in a mysterious murder. Told through vignettes in a style similar to 10 Ways To Survive The Zombie Apocalypse, this show hilariously skewers the tropes of the murder mystery: an airtight alibi, a long-winded monologue by a detective with an accent and even an impossibly complicated Rube Goldberg murder device.

History

How to Get Away with A Murder Mystery premiered at Hanford High School in Richland, Washington

The Narrators
NARRATOR 1 
NARRATOR 2

The Suspects
LADY INDIGO – A mysterious lady in blue
MR. BURGUNDY – A not-so mysterious gentleman with a fantastic mustache
AGENT ORANGE – A nerdy professor-type (later Senator Orange)
OFF-WHITE – A very proper person
SOYLENT GREEN – A teenager who is over this (later Sara Green or Scott Green)

The Detectives
AN ELDERLY WOMAN – Experienced and observant
A BRITISH DETECTIVE – Heck, let’s just call him Sherlock; he’s in the public domain after all
A SOUTHERN GENTLEMAN – Very odd accent, but fabulously dressed
A FRAZZLED LADY – A human lie detector who sleeps in her car
A BUTLER – A very energetic and spry person

The Victim
VICK TIM – A victim

Gender of the characters: Almost all of the characters could be any gender. (The exception is probably Mr. Burgundy, who should be at least played as male, even if the actor doesn’t need to identify as male.) The detectives should probably be played as their gender, with the exception of the British Detective (since Sherlock has been both male and female over time). I have selected pronouns throughout for characters, but feel free to change them if you are casting a different gender in the role.

For a larger cast: You may switch out the suspects in every scene. Every group of five suspects should contain the same color groups and basic personalities.

Gender of the characters: Almost all of the characters could be any gender. (The exception is probably Mr. Burgundy, who should be at least played as male, even if the actor doesn’t need to identify as male.) The detectives should probably be played as their gender, with the exception of the British Detective (since Sherlock has been both male and female over time). I have selected pronouns throughout for characters, but feel free to change them if you are casting a different gender in the role.

For a larger cast: You may switch out the suspects in every scene. Every group of five suspects should contain the same color groups and basic personalities.

  • Time Period Contemporary, Present Day
  • Setting

    A drawing room. Present day.

  • Features Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes
  • Duration 40 minutes

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £30 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

Scripts

Available Formats:

Add-Ons

Take a look below at how you can enhance your show!

Authors

Don Zolidis

Don Zolidis, one of the most-produced playwrights in the world, is a former middle school and high school theater teacher. His 140+ published plays have been produced over 25,000 times, appearing in all 50 states, every Canadian province, and more than 80 countries around the ...

View full profile

Now Playing