A PLAYSCRIPTS TITLE

Deadline (Hughes, Kash)

Full-Length Play, Comedy  /  3w, 3m

By Marcia Kash and Douglas E. Hughes

When a famous playwright dies unexpectedly, leaving behind an unfinished play, writers Don and Mara are hired to complete it in time for its imminent Broadway opening. But are they trapped in a plot of their own devising?

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Deadline (Hughes, Kash)

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    3w, 3m
  • Duration
    Duration
    120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Mystery/Thriller
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult
Deadline (Hughes, Kash)

Details

Summary

Just as they are about to give up on their careers, a pair of struggling playwrights find out that their mentor, the most celebrated murder mystery writer since Agatha Christie, has just died with the script to his upcoming Broadway thriller left unfinished. Tasked with completing his work in under a week, Mara and Don jump into the story – but once they begin digging into the world of the play, they quickly find themselves trapped inside it. Can they use their writing skills to solve the mystery and save the play – and themselves?

History

Deadline premiered at The Human Race Theatre Company in Dayton, Ohio in November 2022.

Keywords
Performing Groups

DON/SILAS
MARA/MEREDITH
DEAN/TREVOR
BARTHOLOMEW/POLICEMAN
DEVORAH/VIOLET/MRS. VACRATSIS
TABITHA/DELIVERY WOMAN

The play is written for six actors. Roles are doubled.

While there are comedic elements in the play, at its heart, it’s a murder mystery. As with most mysteries, the stakes for the characters within it are literally life and death. Any attempts to comment on the play or send it up will only serve to lessen the stakes. The comedy will take care of itself. Honest.

The play is written for six actors. Roles are doubled.

While there are comedic elements in the play, at its heart, it’s a murder mystery. As with most mysteries, the stakes for the characters within it are literally life and death. Any attempts to comment on the play or send it up will only serve to lessen the stakes. The comedy will take care of itself. Honest.

  • Time Period Present Day
  • Setting

    A yacht.

  • Features Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes
  • Duration 120 minutes (2 hours)

Media

“A smart, fast-paced, true-to-form whodunnit with a theatre-centric twist.” – League of Cincinnati Theatres

“Kash and Hughes’ script touches all the bases of classic mysteries… fans of such tales will enjoy the twists and turns – and the surprising ending” – Talkin’ Broadway

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £55 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

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Authors

Marcia Kash

Marcia Kash
Marcia Kash has 11 shows to her credit, including For This Moment Alone, Discovering Elvis and five plays with longtime collaborator Douglas E. Hughes. Their first play, Who’s Under Where?, has been translated into six languages and is currently enjoying its first Polish lang ...
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Douglas E. Hughes

Douglas E. Hughes
Douglas E. Hughes has written two short plays for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Debussy: At Sea and The Talking Cure; a one-act comedy, Taken For Granted; three screenplays, Hearing Trouble, Star Struck and A Different Corner; and two novels, a comedy/thriller called The Po ...
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