Dates & Info
Director: Charity Farrell
Choreographer: Katelyn Parish
Assistant Director: Abby Parr
Audition Due Date: Fri, Dec 4 @ 8pm ET/5pm PT
Invited Callbacks: December 18 @ 8pm ET/5pm PT
Cast Announcement: first week of November
Rehearsals: February 1 - March 15, 2021
Performances: April 2-11, 2021
*performers will not need to be available for performance dates
Production Description
When Varthur McArthur, the artistic director of a failing theater in Duluth, invites his troupe of disgruntled actors and collaborators to the first read of an “immersive murder mystery dinner party,” no one knew that he would be the victim. Or did they? Enter eager, determined, and untested Detective Justine Case. After sequestering the guests into separate rooms (because, you know, social-distancing), she gets down to finding out whodunnit, uncovering secret affairs, life-long grudges, backstage drama, and a lot of musical theater song and dance. Sifting through lies and red herrings and a truly baffling murder mystery script left by the deceased, Case vows to find the truth and secure her future as a great detective.
Rehearsals will be scheduled to accommodate a variety of time zones.
All roles performed remotely with performances to stream on virtualvenuetheatricals.com. Unpaid.
Audition Requirements
Roles Available
VARTHUR MCARTHUR—ARTISTIC DIRECTOR (pronouns: he/him):
Once a Gavroche on Broadway (and not seen on Broadway since), this director is now in Middle America bringing culture to Philistines. Pompous, arrogant, loves being a big fish in a little town. MURDER MYSTERY COSTUME: Ringmaster.
JUSTINE CASE—DETECTIVE (pronouns: she/her):
Lowly metermaid promoted to detective when everyone else on the force is unavailable. This is her big break and she’s determined and quirky. The suspects have disdain for her because she has ticketed them all. Knows nothing about theatre.
CLARKE STAPLES—STAGE MANAGER (pronouns: he/him, she/her, they/them):
Has been working as a stage manager, assistant director, assistant to the director, box office manager, concessions, barback, and typist for Varthur for ten years. Beleaguered and loyal, could he have finally snapped? MURDER MYSTERY COSTUME: Stowaway
SHEA CRESCENDO—DESIGNER (pronouns: he/him, she/her, they/them):
Works at theater full-time—costumes, sets; a visionary with too few resources. Shea goes all the way with everything they do, whether they’re designing a show or playing a role in the murder mystery dinner party. It’s all or nothing for Shea. MURDER MYSTERY COSTUME: Trapeze Artist
VIVIKA ORSONWELLES—LEADING LADY (pronouns: she/her):
Pharmacist by day, star by night. When she finds out that Varthur cast Lily, an ambitious upstart, as the lead in the murder mystery dinner party instead of her, she is fuming. Is she mad enough to take revenge?MURDER MYSTERY COSTUME: Clown
GEORGE MURDERER—LEADING MAN (pronouns: he/him):
A trust-fund kid who fancies himself a musical theater writer. In fact, he believes he has written the next Hamilton. The AD has been stringing him along, taking his family’s money, making him think that they would be doing his musical next. When the cast list went out and it wasn’t for his musical, he was livid. MURDER MYSTERY COSTUME: Ship Captain
LILY WRIGHT—INGENUE (pronouns: she/her):
Real Estate Broker by day and aspiring leading lady by night. She’s tired of playing second fiddle to Vivika. She wants her own spotlight and tonight she’s finally gotten it. MURDER MYSTERY COSTUME: Sexy Lion Tamer
CAMERON MITCHELLJOHN—ALWAYS IN THE CHORUS (pronouns: he/him):
Cameron took off work tonight—as a cater/waiter—because Varthur promised him a role in the Murder Mystery. Only, lo and behold, he’s playing the mute Steward—so he’s still taking coats, serving canapes, and waiting for his moment to shine. MURDER MYSTERY COSTUME: Steward
JOAN MCARTHUR—DIRECTOR’S WIFE (pronouns: she/her):
An estate lawyer, who prefers to work with dead people, Joan has bankrolled this entire theater venture and she’s fed up. She’s been trying to sell the building and everything they own goes to her in Varthur’s will. NO MURDER MYSTERY COSTUME—she would rather die.
JEREMY JORDAN—A fantasy version of himself (pronouns: he/him)
DETECTIVE CASE (pronouns: she/her):
A latter day version of Justine, now a grand dame of policework who is alternately procrastinating and writing her memoirs.
Videos
