THE MURDER MYSTERY TEAM
offers complete murder mysteries for your event or fund raiser
Creative writers and actors work together to bring a Murder Mystery to your event, fund raiser or facility. Shakespeare at the Centre works with clubs, restaurants, and organizations in need of something different to offer your group, employees or patrons. Reward your staff, attract new customers, or utilize as a creative new fund raiser for your organization. We work with you and your budget to create a unique and entertaining Murder Mystery event. There are clues, and audience participation along the way, as your guest attempt to determine 'who done it!" Awards are issued to best detective, most creative solution, best audience participation, (best costume if so desired), and the don't quit your day job award for the craziest of guesses. Contact us if you have an interest in one or more of the available murder mystery scripts; or if you would like something more customized for your specific needs.
Tumbleweed Turmoil at the Tombstone Tavern
A variety of old west characters--the sheriff, the schoolmarm, the hired gun, the saloon gal, the ruthless cattle baron, and others--gather in the Tombstone Tavern. Someone gets ornery and one of these characters gets gunned down. Who will be the victim and who is the varmint that did it?
Date of original performance: February 15, 2015 by Carl Zeitler; the original cast featured Aaron Berogan, Debbi Dennison, Beth Goncher, Lynn Meredith, Julane Sullivan, Scott Surowiecki, Frank Warpeha, Rachel Wirsing, and Carl Zeitler.
A variety of old west characters--the sheriff, the schoolmarm, the hired gun, the saloon gal, the ruthless cattle baron, and others--gather in the Tombstone Tavern. Someone gets ornery and one of these characters gets gunned down. Who will be the victim and who is the varmint that did it?
Date of original performance: February 15, 2015 by Carl Zeitler; the original cast featured Aaron Berogan, Debbi Dennison, Beth Goncher, Lynn Meredith, Julane Sullivan, Scott Surowiecki, Frank Warpeha, Rachel Wirsing, and Carl Zeitler.
The Bootleg Bump Off at Ruby's Rum Runner Room
1927. Chicago. Prohibition. Al Capone ruled the city through the illegal distribution and sale of liquor. Gin joints and speakeasies were all the rage.
Come mingle with gangsters, club owners, private eyes, and corrupt detectives in this fun period comedy with lots of audience interaction.
Date of original performance: May 3, 2015; by Carl Zeitler; the original cast featured Aaron Berogan, Nancy Braus, Heidi Buyck, Debbi Dennison, Vicky Giannini, Shazad Mehta, Frank Warpeha, Bruce Worthel, and Carl Zeitler.
1927. Chicago. Prohibition. Al Capone ruled the city through the illegal distribution and sale of liquor. Gin joints and speakeasies were all the rage.
Come mingle with gangsters, club owners, private eyes, and corrupt detectives in this fun period comedy with lots of audience interaction.
Date of original performance: May 3, 2015; by Carl Zeitler; the original cast featured Aaron Berogan, Nancy Braus, Heidi Buyck, Debbi Dennison, Vicky Giannini, Shazad Mehta, Frank Warpeha, Bruce Worthel, and Carl Zeitler.
Beware of the Raven, or Murderous Mayhem on Raven Isle
Halloween Night. A storm rages outside. A haunted house on spooky Raven Isle. A group of thrill seekers dressed in costumes come to the island to learn more about the legend of the Raven from a mysterious tour guide. They are going to learn more than they bargained for as someone dies. Or perhaps more than one.
Date of original performance: October 18, 2015; by Carl Zeitler; the original cast featured Joe Billquist, Bill Boggs, Debbi Dennison, Vicky Giannini, Marc Jolley, Lynn Meredith, Jerry Moore, Cheryl Rice, and Carl Zeitler.
Halloween Night. A storm rages outside. A haunted house on spooky Raven Isle. A group of thrill seekers dressed in costumes come to the island to learn more about the legend of the Raven from a mysterious tour guide. They are going to learn more than they bargained for as someone dies. Or perhaps more than one.
Date of original performance: October 18, 2015; by Carl Zeitler; the original cast featured Joe Billquist, Bill Boggs, Debbi Dennison, Vicky Giannini, Marc Jolley, Lynn Meredith, Jerry Moore, Cheryl Rice, and Carl Zeitler.
Cupid Must Die!
It's Valentine's Day, and Cupid is hosting his annual exclusive party to celebrate love and romance. Not everyone is enchanted with Cupid on this occasion, however. Six quirky individuals--whom Cupid labels as "misfits when it comes to love"--have arrived at the party. These misfits include a self-proclaimed nerd who lives with her parents and is obsessed with baking and the Food Network, an eight-time divorcee who has just come from an event at which he performed as a clown, a successful business woman who has no time for love except for her six cats, a homeless man with a limp, an aspiring puppeteer with a severely flirty hand puppet, and the Grim Reaper himself. These six all have some issues with Cupid. During the course of the evening, someone is going to die. Will Cupid survive? Will love survive?
Date of original performance: February 14, 2016; by Debbi Dennison and Carl Zeitler; the original cast featured Debbi Dennison, Danny Glenn, Carolyn Larsen, Julie Ostrow, Rhys Read, Eric Wang and Carl Zeitler.
It's Valentine's Day, and Cupid is hosting his annual exclusive party to celebrate love and romance. Not everyone is enchanted with Cupid on this occasion, however. Six quirky individuals--whom Cupid labels as "misfits when it comes to love"--have arrived at the party. These misfits include a self-proclaimed nerd who lives with her parents and is obsessed with baking and the Food Network, an eight-time divorcee who has just come from an event at which he performed as a clown, a successful business woman who has no time for love except for her six cats, a homeless man with a limp, an aspiring puppeteer with a severely flirty hand puppet, and the Grim Reaper himself. These six all have some issues with Cupid. During the course of the evening, someone is going to die. Will Cupid survive? Will love survive?
Date of original performance: February 14, 2016; by Debbi Dennison and Carl Zeitler; the original cast featured Debbi Dennison, Danny Glenn, Carolyn Larsen, Julie Ostrow, Rhys Read, Eric Wang and Carl Zeitler.
Murder's Day
It would be the typical Mother's Day brunch, but this family is anything but typical. Mom has had to wait for 2 weeks after Mother's Day to celebrate because her five offbeat children can never agree on anything. There's Neil, her favorite, who is most interested in himself, fashion, and being pampered. Anything or anyone else is a distant second. There's Jane, who goes all out to get her mother to notice and praise her. There's Mikey, who is part of the local forest preserve police but desperately wants to join the city force. There's Carrie and Terry, twins who are inseparable and have the tendency to finish each other's sentences. They believe they're identical twins even though they are not. And then Uncle Paul shows up out of the blue. He hasn't been around for decades. What does he have up his sleeve? One of these characters will die, and the rest of them will be suspects. Can you solve the case of Murder's Day?
Date of original performance: May 22, 2016; by Debbi Dennison and Carl Zeitler; the original cast featured Nancy Braus, Steve Delaney, Debbi Dennison, Stan Kosek, Shazad Mehta, Tegan Rogers, and Carl Zeitler.
It would be the typical Mother's Day brunch, but this family is anything but typical. Mom has had to wait for 2 weeks after Mother's Day to celebrate because her five offbeat children can never agree on anything. There's Neil, her favorite, who is most interested in himself, fashion, and being pampered. Anything or anyone else is a distant second. There's Jane, who goes all out to get her mother to notice and praise her. There's Mikey, who is part of the local forest preserve police but desperately wants to join the city force. There's Carrie and Terry, twins who are inseparable and have the tendency to finish each other's sentences. They believe they're identical twins even though they are not. And then Uncle Paul shows up out of the blue. He hasn't been around for decades. What does he have up his sleeve? One of these characters will die, and the rest of them will be suspects. Can you solve the case of Murder's Day?
Date of original performance: May 22, 2016; by Debbi Dennison and Carl Zeitler; the original cast featured Nancy Braus, Steve Delaney, Debbi Dennison, Stan Kosek, Shazad Mehta, Tegan Rogers, and Carl Zeitler.