A Sinister Story at the SODA Saloon
A Mystery Dinner Theater
up to 24 cast members, min 12 but some parts might be combined into 1 role
BEFORE SHOW STARTS
Setup: Each place setting has pencil, detective notebook, song sheet, program.
CHRISTMAS MOOD MUSIC
HOUSE LIGHTS UP
SM calls PLACES, cast members line up on each side of door
CAST MEMBERS
· Escort guests to table in character
· Give them 4 SODA bucks each and explain they are for drinks
· Take tickets, which will have table number and dinner choice printed on them. Give those to the kitchen so food handlers can serve meal.
· After escorting guests, return to door if there are more guests, otherwise stand against wall behind assigned table
If greeter is a dancer, she should be a little flirtatious with the men.
· Well hello, sugar. Let me help you find your seats. . . .I’m so glad you could be here with us tonight.
· Hi, handsome. Now let’s find you a seat … Here you are. We’ve got a great show for you tonight. Now you look for me on stage, later, OK?
· Hello, honey. And is this your wife? Nice looker. Now let’s get you two to a table. . . You kids have fun now.
· Hey, folks. Nice to have you here. Let me find you a table… Now you have a good time, but watch out for Goldie over there. Just among ourselves, we girls call her “Goldiggin’ Goldie”.
For the cowboys:
· Hello, pardner. Can ah help you find yer table? . . . We shore appreciate you-all coming out tonight. Enjoy yourself, y’hear?
· Howdy, ma’am. May I escort you to a table? . . . Thanks for coming. Maybe I’ll see you around a little later tonight. (Tip cowboy hat politely)
· Hello, amigos. Let me show you your seats. . . . Nice to have you. Enjoy your meal.
· Hey, compadre. Let’s get you and the little lady a seat. . . . Have a good time, now.
· Hey, buddy. C’mon in. I’ll take you to your place … Hope you have a great time at the show.
CAST ASSIGNED TABLES
Cast members serve dinner and dessert to their assigned table. (Guests get own drinks from bar using SODA bucks). Cast members stand against wall behind assigned table always unless they are doing a bit or are on stage.
· TABLE 1: George and Dance Girl 1 (respectable banker)
· TABLE 2: Edith and Marshall, (respectable matron / sheriff's outfit)
· TABLE 3: Jack and Dance Girl 3, (Jack wears an eye patch)
· TABLE 4: Annie and Dance Girl 4 , (cowgirl)
· TABLE 5: Goldie and MC1
· TABLE 6: Maggie and Doc (Maggie wears a red wig)
· TABLE 7: Millie and MC2
· TABLE 8: Dance Girl 5 and Prudence,
· TABLE 9: Conchita and Izzy , (Hot-tempered fluent in Spanish with an accent in English)
· TABLE 10: Curley and MC3,
· TABLE 11: Pancho and Dance Girl 6
· BAR: Buddy and Sam
As patrons are being seated, Annie, Maggie, Goldie, Pancho, and Curley roam the room. They'll be giving some of the first clues, so they must speak briefly to one person at each table, saying:
· Annie: There’s that Goldiggin’ Goldie – but don’t tell her I called her a goldigger, OK? She’s the star of the show, but honestly, I don’t know what she’s got that I don’t have. Except, well, you know… she plays up to Sam. He’s the owner.
· Maggie: Would you look at that? Curley can’t keep his eyes off of Goldie. She sure is lucky to have a great guy like Curley. I don’t know what he sees in her, cause she’s sure not good enough for him. If I had a great guy like that, I would never cheat on him (say the last phrase with a meaningful look)
· Goldie: Now when the show starts, you watch for me, Goldie. I’m the star singer, you know. I think some of the other girls are jealous. Well, too bad.
· Curley: Hi, folk, I'm Curley. You see that purty little blonde over there? Me and her's goin’ steady. I’m right proud of that little filly.
· Pancho: Mah name’s Pancho. Some folks have a nickname for me – PrettyBoyPancho – but ah hate that. So you just call me Pancho, OK?
· ALSO: Whenever any other cast member walks past Pancho, they say "Hey, Pretty Boy", or "Hi, Pretty Boy". Pancho always snarls back "Don't call me Pretty Boy".
They can respond briefly if anyone at the table talks to them, and then leave that table, or leave immediately if no one says anything. Possible exit lines:
· Well, guess I'll be moseying along. Nice talkin to you folks.
· Well, got to go now, I'm in the show you know.
· My name's "XXX", by the way. Nice to have met you all.
· Got to be getting along. Maybe I'll see you again later tonight.
· See you later. Watch for me in the show!
5 minutes after no one is left waiting for seats, SM signals Buddy to ring triangle
MC #1
Howdy, folks! Welcome to Sam’s SODA Saloon. That's Sam, the owner, right over there.
We’re going to start to serve dinner in just a minute, after I tell you how a mystery theater like this works. First of all, you’re all part of the show. At some point tonight, something bad is going to happen to one of the cast here,
ALL CAST : Ooh, ahh!
And when the crime happens, ladies and gentlemen, it’ll be your job to figure out "who done it". To do that, you'll need to watch carefully as the people here in the SODA saloon talk to each other. You'll see and hear them while you're eating dinner, some will come to your table to talk to you, and you can get up and talk to any of them any time you want.
When you came in, you got 4 SODA bucks each. You can use them to get drinks for yourselves from the bar here. Drinks are a dollar each, by the way.
(point to it)
and you can give them to the cast members in exchange for clues.
We'll start dinner now, and while you're eating, listen and watch carefully because you may get a clue. Enjoy your dinner, and on with the show!
Sam and Buddy and Doc stand behind bar to serve drinks
Cast members serve their tables their dinners.
CHRISTMAS DINNER MUSIC
SM looks to see when almost everyone has been served and motions to Annie and Jack to move between tables 4 and 5 to begin BIT 1. As it begins, get George/Edith ready behind table 2 for next part.
HOUSELIGHTS DIM
BIT 1
SPOTLIGHT ON JACK/ANNIE
Jack: Howdy there, Adelino Annie. I’ve been looking fer ya.
Annie: (coyly) Why, whatever for, One-Eyed Jack?
Jack: Cause yo’re the prettiest gal here tonight, Miss Annie.
Annie: Oh, Jack, you’re just an awful flirt. What do you take me for?
Jack: Well, I’d like to take you for ..a hayride. Under the moon, tonight? Just you and me? What do you say?
Annie (drawing herself up): Why, One-Eyed Jack, that’s just shocking. Do you think I’m the kind of a girl who’d go out with a man unchaperoned? Just because I work in a dance hall doesn’t mean I’m that kind of girl. Are you confusing me with that little tramp Goldie?
Pancho comes up behind Jack, where Jack can’t see him. He interrupts the previous dialog whenever he gets there. He doesn’t wait for the whole dialog. Dialog goes on between them while Pancho talks, too
Pancho: Excuse me.
Jack ignores him, concentrating completely on Annie.
Jack (protesting): Uh, no, no, Annie! I mean, Miss Annie. I mean, Miss Adelino Annie, ma’am. Gosh, I didn’t mean that. I think you’re simply wonderful.
Annie (flirtatious smile):Well, maaay-be I’ll forgive you, then.
Pancho (louder) Ah sayed, excuuuuse me, Jack.
Jack: Oh, please do forgive me, Miss Annie. I’m right sorry. What can I do to make it up to you?
Pancho(very loudly, pushing Jack a little): Move yer carcass, Jack.
Jack(turns and says loudly): Watch who you’re shoving there, Pretty Boy. Can’t you see I’m talking to the lady?
Pancho pantomimes getting fuming mad, sputtering, can barely talk. This gives Sam time to say the next line, loudly enough to be heard.
Sam: Buddy, run get the Marshall. I think there might be trouble.
Buddy: Yessir.
Buddy runs around the side of the room and goes out the main door as lines continue.
Pancho: Watch who you’re calling “pretty boy”, you one-eyed son of a Cyclops.
Jack: (politely, to Annie) Scuse me, ma’am. (turns to Pancho and imitates a parrot voice): Pretty-boy, pretty-boy. Aawk!
As Jack speaks, Pancho backs up toward center of room and Jack follows, so the fight takes place in the clear area in the center of the room.
Pancho: (winding up his arm in a comic way ready to hit Jack) Why I’ll rip that eye-patch off’n your face and shove it up your nose. I’ll knock you clear back to Belen. Heck no, all the way to Socorro!
Jack: Why don’t you come try it, you Rio Communities Pretty Boy?
Pancho: Rio Communities! No one can call me that!
Jack (imitating a parrot voice): Pretty-boy, pretty-boy. You couldn’t hit the broad side of Tome Hill.
Pancho continues to swing wildly and Jack easily evades him.
Pancho: Wait’ll I get my hands on you. They won’t call you “One-Eyed Jack” anymore, they’ll call you “NO-eyed Jack”!
Jack: Hah, you couldn’t hit the ground with your hat–even if I gave you three tries!
Jack now begins to throw a list of insults at Pancho until the Marshall comes in and grabs him. Pancho reacts comically to the insults with wild facial expressions, arm-swinging, etc. He doesn't have to finish the whole list, just stop whenever the Marshall gets to him.
Jack: You’re a two-bit—no, make that one-bit, ornery, cussed old COOT! You're lop-eared, moth-eaten, and uglier-n-a-buzzard. You're a rattle-snake-lovin', rot-gut-swillin', wet-sheep smellin’, crazy old raccoon. You're snaggle-toothed, squinty-eyed, and your face look like a horny toad after it's been chewed on by a road runner. You're mean-as-a-cottonmouth, dumber-n-dirt, and lower-n-a snake's-belly. I could switch you for a bag of rocks, and nobody's know the difference.
Buddy and the Marshall come back through the main door while this speech is going on, not after it. The Marshall is going to interrupt the fight before Jack gets to the end of his speech.
They pause for a minute at the door so the spotlight operator can catch them, if possible, and follow the Marshall as he goes to the fight.
Buddy: (pointing to Jack and Pancho) Right over there, Marshall!
Marshall grabs both guys by the collars and gives them the bum’s rush out the door of the room, saying
Marshall: OK, boys. That’s enough now. Sam wants to run a nice place here. Let’s get out and sober up a little. When you’ve calmed down, you can come back.
(pauses for aside to a female patron - of his choice - as he leaves. Jack and Pancho are subdued )
Don’t be alarmed, ma’am. Nothing to worry about. They’re not bad, really, just a couple of unedycated cowpokes who don’t know how to behave in the presence of a fine lady such as yourself.
Marshall comes back in almost immediately. About a minute later, cowboys come in also, separately. No spotlight for any of these entrances. Cowboys can look a little sheepish. This can happen while the next bit is going on.
BIT 2
Spotlight on Pete, who has moved (walking unsteadily) to the corner of the center area (inside the table perimeter) that is opposite from where the Jack/Pancho fight was.
Pete (standing unsteadily, weaving. He’s drunk and starts to yell): I’m Peralta Pete and I can lick any man in this place. And kiss any of the ladies, too.
Rest of the cowboys and girls yell out comments from sides of room.
Dance Hall Girl 1: There he goes again.
Jack: Aw, shut up, Pete. You’re drunk again.
Dance Hall Girl 2: That’s ol’ Pete for you.
Pancho: Go back home to Peralta, ya ol’ buzzard!
Dance Hall Girl 3: Oh, no, not again.
Curley: Sit down, old man. What are you talking about?
Dance Hall Girl 4: It’s just the whiskey talking.
Pete: What’s the matter? Everyone afraid? Er do ye think I’m just a silly old man? I’ll show ya.(Pulls his gun. Arm is shaky. Fires loudly 3-4 times, arm flailing wildly all over.) Come and get me, ya varmints! (Marshall starts toward him from other side of room.)
Marshall (grabs Pete’s collar, takes the gun from him, and starts the bum’s rush): OK now, Pete. That’s enough. You might hurt someone with that thing. A night in jail will sober you up. Let’s go.
(pauses for aside to a patron - of his choice - as he leaves. Jack and Pancho are subdued )
Sorry for the inconvenience, sir/ma'am. Hope it didn’t spoil your supper.
Marshall takes him out the main door, saying, as they pass the “NO GUNS” sign:
Cain-cha’ read, old man? NO GUNS!
Spotlight follows Marshall and Pete out, then when they leave, moves to George and Edith who are starting into the middle of the circle from the end opposite the exit, with Edith's hand through George's bent arm.
BIT 3
SPOTLIGHT on GEORGE/EDITH
SM prepares Annie/Maggie near Table7. Also 2 guys to pull them apart.
George For the life of me, I can’t understand why you are here, Edith. Why did you insist on coming with me? This isn’t a place for a banker’s wife to be seen. What will people think?
Edith Well, what will they think if they see you here, George? At least I can keep an eye on you so you don’t do anything foolish. As president of the local bank, you have to remember that a banker’s reputation is his most valuable possession. Let’s just leave and go somewhere respectable, like Teofilo’s!
George I won’t do anything foolish, Edith. But I’ve got to stay here for at least a little while, and I can’t tell you why.
BIT 4
SPOTLIGHT ON Maggie/Annie
SM prepares Prudence and Edith near Table 7
Maggie What did you say?
Annie: You heard me. What’s the big deal? Everyone knows it.
Maggie It’s a lie. You take it back.
Annie I won’t.
Maggie Then maybe I’ll just have to make you take it back, Adelino Annie!
Annie You won’t have that red hair for long if you try it, (pauses, then says equally slowly and menacingly). . .Meadow Lake Maggie!
(Annie starts for Maggie, who backs off in fear, then turns and runs toward offstage, but slowly enough that Annie can easily catch up to her. They struggle, and two guys move up to pull them apart, but as they do, Annie grabs Maggie's red wig and holds it up in triumph, while Maggie tries to cover her head with her arms as the guy releases and she runs offstage.)
BIT 5
SPOTLIGHT follows Annie and Maggie as they run off, then moves to Prudence/Edith.
Prudence: It’s shocking, shocking the kind of behavior that one sees in a place like this. It really shouldn’t be allowed. It’s an evil, corrupting influence, don’t you think?
Edith: I certainly do, Miss Severity. I agree. It’s the kind of thing that can take a good man and turn him inside out so he doesn’t know what he’s doing.
Prudence: And what about this “Goldie” person? She seems to be one of the worst.
Edith: Oh, she is, she is. I know something about that little gold-digging tramp. Nobody else knows I know, not even George. But she’s a dangerous character. She’s the main source of all the trouble, really. If it weren’t for her, this town would be a different place, and a better place.
Prudence: Really? Tell me more.
Edith: Well, I don’t know if I can go into details . . .and I never repeat gossip. So please, listen very carefully this first time.
SM readies Sam for stage.
SPOTLIGHT ON STAGE until dancers finish
Maggie/Annie re-enter quietly while Sam is speaking.
Sam Ladies and gentlemen, I now present, for your entertainment, our main show this evening. We are proud and happy to have with us tonight Mr. Charlie Wilson, artist of the guitar. Take it away, Charlie!
(Charlie plays)
Thank you so much. Mr. Charlie Wilson, everyone.
And now, a man who needs no introduction to any Valencia County audience that loves humor. Here is the funniest comedian from Bosque Farms to Belen and Beyond. The Los Lunas Lunatic: Isleta Izzy !
ALL CAST: Claps as Izzy enters, then claps, laughs, groans as Izzy performs.
SM checks that Millie is ready.
Izzy Thank you so much, ladies and gentlemen. I’m delighted to be here in Sam’s Saloon tonight. You look like a wonderful audience.
Hey, did you hear about the Harvey House in Belen? They’re trying to raise money by opening up the parking lot to campers and Recreational Vehicles. So instead of the "Harvey House" it'll be the "R-V" house, get it?"
Hey -- are you guys all right out there? I don't hear any laughs. Maybe we need that new hospital after all? Maybe I can use it to revive some of these "dead" jokes?
I gotta say, though, that the little towns around here are interesting. Take Bosque Farms for example. It's kind of different. There's no "official" town idiot -- everybody just takes turns.
And that Mid-Valley airport? It's so tiny that the wind sock is a real sock!
Did you know Tome's put in a city jail? They call it "amoeba", because it only has -- one cell
I don't want to say that there's not much going on in Belen, but the other night I took my wife out for a "night on the town" . . . and it only took 23 minutes.
Gotta little story fer ya.
Happened right here at Sam’s Saloon a couple weeks ago. A cowboy rode into
town, a stranger, and he stopped for a drink. When he finished his drink, he
went outside and . . his horse was gone. So he came back in and he casually
took out his gun and twirled it and said “Ya know, my horse seems to be
missing. Ah'm just gonna have me another beer, and if my horse ain't back
outside by the time Ah finish, I'm gonna have ta do what Ah done in Santa Fe!
And Ah shore would hate . . to have to do .. what Ah done in Santa Fe!"
Well, you know the boys was just having a little fun, they didn’t want no
trouble, so they brought the horse back. The stranger finished his beer, and
went out and there was his horse. No problem, so he saddled up. But Sam here,
he couldn't stand not knowing what happened in Santa Fe, so before the
stranger could ride off, Sam asked him “Hey, pardner, before you go... what was
it you had to do in Santa Fe?"
And the cowpoke looked at him and said, "Ah had ta walk home."
Thanks, ladies and gentlemen, you’ve been a great audience.
Sam Thank you, Izzy. Isleta Izzy, everyone, wasn’t he great?
And now, the sing-along portion of our evening, will be led by Madam Millie!
SM signals dancers to get ready.
MUSIC for Christmas sing-along
Millie: OK, now, you cowpokes and ladies. Put down your glasses and raise your voices. You all know this one – “xxx”. The words are there at your tables. Let’s hear it now.
Cast claps after song ends.
Sam Thank you very much, Madam Millie. And now here’s a treat for you all. The most famous can-can dancers in all of Valencia County -- “Sammie’s Sweeties”
MUSIC for dancers
Sam Now we’ll be taking a short break, and when we come back, we’ll be bringing on tonight’s featured performer, our own “Goldie”. Come out and let everyone see you, darlin’.
SPOTLIGHT ON GOLDIE
Goldie circles center of room, waving, smiling, simpering, and throwing kisses.
Sam Thank you very much, and we’ll be back after intermission.
Sam moves to bar.
HOUSE LIGHTS UP
INTERMISSION CHRISTMAS MUSIC
BIT 6
Curley and Goldie stand in front of stage, pantomime asking her to marry him.
Curley Yee-hah! Sam, pour me a glass of your very best whiskey.
Sam (surprised) You mean the fancy stuff, Curley? The stuff that costs two dollars??
Curley I shore do. I’ll be right over to get it in just a minute.
SM signals Sam and Conchita to get ready.
BIT 7
Goldie walks to stage. Maggie whispers in Curley's ear. He reacts with shock, shakes head.
SM signals 6 suspects to be ready to go to bar as soon as Sam leaves it.
BIT 8
SPOTLIGHT ON SAM AT THE BAR (house lights are still up). Spotlight stays on glass.
Sam makes drink in glittery glass, then he and Buddy both move away from bar to stand in front of table 5.
6 people visit the bar briefly while Sam and Conchita are talking in the center of the room.
· Annie hides drink briefly with her back to audience.
· Edith hides drink briefly with her back to audience.
· George hides drink briefly with her back to audience.
· Jack hides drink briefly with her back to audience.
· Maggie hides drink briefly with her back to audience.
· Prudence hides drink briefly with her back to audience.
BIT 9
Conchita moves from her place at table 10 out into center of room, turns back to Sam. Sam walks up behind her and slips arm around her waist.
Sam : Howdy, there, Conchita
Conchita: Don’ you dare toush me, who you tink you are?
Sam : Well, I'm sorry Miss Conchita … I … I
Conchita:
Mientras las personas
que no conozcan
dos idiomas
creen
que te estoy regañando,
quiero dar
la bienvenida
a nuestro público latino!
Curley first hides glass with his back for a moment, then takes glass to stage.
Sam returns to stage.
Sam And now, what you’ve all been waiting for, I proudly present to you the star of our show, the Vamp of Valencia County, the one, the only -- Goldie !
ALL CAST claps, whistles and hoots from boys. All cast move to wall behind assigned table.
HOUSE LIGHTS DOWN
SPOTLIGHT ON GOLDIE
Goldie drinks, starts to sing, collapses.
MUSIC STOPS
(count 2)
Screams
Marshall She’s dead!
Curley No, no, it can’t be true!
Marshall Don’t touch her.
Marshall I’ll have to go fetch the Doc. Nobody touch anything until I get back with Doc, understood?
Cast on stage Yes, Marshall.
Marshall (pointing around the room to various patrons at tables) That applies to all of you, too. Nobody is to touch anything until I get back with Doc, understand?
Cowboys and dance girls --and hopefully audience Yes, Marshall
Marshall That’s better. But the “don’t touch anything” rule doesn’t apply to dessert, by the way. That's what's coming up next!
SPOTLIGHT OUT
HOUSE LIGHTS UP
CHRISTMAS DESSERT MUSIC
Cast members bring a dessert to each guest at their assigned table.
After serving dessert, cast members start table rotation by moving to next table (table 1 to table 2, table 2 to table 3, table 11 to table 1, etc.) to answer questions and give clues.
· Millie–
o Clue: She’s overheard a very angry argument in Goldie’s room between Goldie and a man’s voice. Not sure who the man was,
o Clue: She's pretty sure that Goldie was seeing more than one man, and trying to keep each from knowing about the others.
o Clue: The new schoolmarm is very uptight. She was run off from her last teaching job because she couldn’t keep her moralistic judgments to herself.
· Annie --
o Clue: She was jealous of Goldie and wanted her out of the way. But she’d never have killed her just for a job. Never.
o Clue: Goldie was flirting with Sam to get the singer’s job, but she didn’t let him know she was also seeing both Jack and Curley.
o Clue: Curley told me he was going to ask Annie to marry him tonight and have a Christmas wedding. When I told Maggie, she just went crazy. But I took her down a peg! (laugh at the memory)
o Clue: Jack seems to like me, but I wonder if he isn't still a little In love with Goldie.
· Edith –
o Clue: She knew about Goldie and George, but she’s sure George would never harm a head of anyone’s hair. And don’t tell George she knows. IF he won’t tell her himself, she doesn’t want to know.
o Clue: Schoolmistress told her that she agreed with her that Goldie was a very bad woman. Edith wonders if schoolmistress is one of those crazy old spinsters. Could she have done Goldie in?
· George
o Clue: He had a little relationship with Goldie. She was blackmailing him over some indiscreet letters that he had sent her. He breaks down when he reveals it. But he insists he didn’t kill her. It was all over some time ago. But she has a hold on him. She asked him to be here tonight, and he had to come. His wife insisted on coming, too, so he’s afraid she’s suspicious.
· Sam –
o Clue: Thinks Goldie was sweet on him. Doesn’t believe she cared about Curley or Jack or anyone else.
o Clue: One of the girls told me Curley was going to ask Goldie to marry him.
· Curley –
o Clue: Knows the schoolmarm doesn’t like Goldie and thinks she’s a bad girl, but she’s wrong. You don’t think the schoolmarm might have tried to harm her?
o Clue: I’d just asked her to marry me, and she said yes. That’s why I was celebrating with the finest two-dollar whiskey in town. We were going to get hitched on Christmas Eve.
· Maggie–
o Clue: Goldie isn’t the angel Curley thinks she is. She’s not good enough for Curley and will probably break his heart. She can’t stand to think of Curley being hurt, and she also wants to be the one to make him happy.
o Clue: What Annie said that caused the fight was that Curley told her he was going to ask Goldie to marry him tonight. I didn’t want to believe it, but now I'm afraid it was true.
o Clue: After I heard they were getting engaged, I tried to tell Curley what Goldie was like, but he didn't believe me.
· Conchita
o Clue: Goldie flirted with everyone. I think Curley, Sam, Jack, and Pancho all liked Goldie. She should go with one of the others and leave Curley alone. He’s a nice guy and she wasn’t a very nice person.
· Prudence
o Clue: It’s part of my job to civilize this town. I know that some townsfolk don’t think they need help, but they’re wrong, and they’ll see it my way eventually. This “Goldie person” was a bad influence. I’m glad she’s gone, and I don’t care who knows that. I had nothing to do with her death, but it was an act of Providence. It was all for the best.
o Clue: I recently came into possession of some information about someone in this town that is proof that this “Goldie person” could have caused serious damage to this town. Serious damage. That’s all I’ll say. That’s all I’m going to say. (won’t say any more – can repeat "Serious damage" and then excuse herself to go to the next table.)
· Jack --
o Clue: Yeah, I used to go with Goldie, but it was just a little fun. Neither of us took it seriously. But that little Annie, there’s something special about her.
o Clue: Goldie told me, when we were going out together, that she had a way to make some easy money. Wouldn’t tell me what it was, though.
When each cast member arrives back at own assigned table and finishes giving clues, go stand on stage.
SM counts. When 10 people are on stage, signal the Marshall to come back in with Doc.
Doc She’s dead all right.
Actors freeze. MC moves to front of stage.
MC #3 OK, ladies and gentlemen. You’ve seen all the clues. Now you have three minutes to decide who you think did it, and how, and why.
Write your solution in your detective notebook.
Your three minutes start now.
CHRISTMAS or JEOPARDY MUSIC
MC: OK, ladies and gentlemen. Time is up. Now we'll collect the solutions.
Dance girls get all the notebooks and take them to MC.
OK, while we check the notebooks to see who our winners are, I’ll direct your attention to the stage to see the solution to tonight’s mystery.
HOUSE LIGHTS DIM
SPOTLIGHT ON STAGE
SM gets notebooks from MC. Divide into a pile for each of the 8 names. Take name of second-largest pile (or smallest, one whose number is <= num t-shirts, etc.) and give it to Doc so he'll know who to accuse. Give all notebooks in chosen pile to MC so he/she can call out their names for t-shirts.
BIT 10
Doc She’s dead all right, and it’s poison. Cyanide, I think, based on the smell of bitter almonds on her breath. Now where could she have gotten it? (He walks over to the glass still sitting where Goldie left it.) Was this her drink? (He sniffs the drink.) Who had access to this drink? (Turns toward Sam) Sam?
Sam Well, sure, I did, but so did Curley. He took it to her.
Curley Me? I wouldn’t have poisoned her! Besides, that drink sat out on the bar for a long, long time. Anyone else could have messed with it. In fact, I saw Annie up there by it.
Annie (Horrified) Are you accusing me?
Curley Well, everyone knew you were jealous of her.
Jack (Menacingly to Curley) You just watch who you’re accusing, amigo.
Annie I saw Maggie over there by the bar.
Maggie Well, I saw Jack there.
Annie (to Maggie)You just shut your mouth about Jack, if you wanna keep that fire-engine wig of yours!(Maggie covers head defensively and squeals)
Millie I saw George Buckman at the bar for several minutes. What was he doing there?
George Me? Me? What about that Pancho fellow? He was over there, too.
Edith That awful Madam Millie was over in that area.
Curley I saw that new schoolmarm over there. She always did act snooty and suspicious to me.
Prudence Well, I always say that anyone who will sell intoxicating liquors isn’t above any kind of nefarious deed. And that horrible Conchita woman.
Conchita Don’ you star’ wi’ me!
Doc Stop! Everyone, stop! I have an idea.(Points to the killer)<Killer>, I accuse you.
SPOTLIGHT ON KILLER
Killer No, it’s not me. I didn’t do it. Why is everyone looking at me?
Oh, God! What have I done? (confesses per their individual script)
Marshall takes killer out. Cast talk with shock among themselves.
Marshall Well, everyone, <Killer> is now safely locked up. He/she told me his/her story as I was booking him/her into jail, and I got a written confession. .
MC #4 First I’m going to call out the names of the winning guests. If I call your name, raise your hand and a member of our cast will bring you one of these beautiful t-shirts/mugs.
Dance girl takes t-shirt/mug to winner.
MC And now, for everyone else, we have certificates.
Dance girls give everyone a certificate.
END OF SHOW
MC#4 That’s the end of our awards presentation, and that’s the end of our show tonight. Thanks for coming, and drive safely.
END MUSIC
Cast members move to door to say goodbye to guests.
ALL CAST MEMBERS stay for clean-up. This will take 45 minutes. Tell your parents or whoever is picking you up that you cannot leave when the show is over. You must stay 45 minutes for cleanup.