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Curtain Up on Murder

  • Bettine Manktelow
  • Full Length Play, Mystery/Thriller, Dramatic Comedy, Contemporary
  • 3M, 5F
  • ISBN: 9780573017698

An amateur theatre company is rehearsing in the theatre at the end of the pier. Storms rage overhead and the doors are locked — they are trapped!

More information

Description

  • Full Length Play
  • Mystery/Thriller, Dramatic Comedy
  • 90 minutes

  • Time Period: Contemporary
  • Target Audience: Appropriate for all audiences
  • Set Requirements: Bare Stage/Simple Set
  • Cautions: No Special Cautions

  • Performance Group:
  • Community Theatre, College Theatre / Student, Professional Theatre, Senior Theatre
An amateur theatre company is rehearsing in the theatre at the end of the pier. Storms rage overhead and the doors are locked — they are trapped! Then a mysterious, ghostly presence passes across the stage, and when the Assistant Stage Manager falls to certain death through a trapdoor, the remaining actors are thrown into disarray. Their panic increases when one of the actresses is poisoned and it becomes evident that a murderer is in their midst...
REVIEWS:

"...this skillfully written piece of suspense..."

East Kent Mercury

"Curtain Up on Murder was written Bettine Manktelow in 1997. Manktelow, who has lived for years in Kent in SE England, has written around 30 crime/comedies. This wonderful production is being presented by the Ellenbrook Theatre Company at the Civic Centre. The play is very well structured, and the playwright's dialogue superb, just the right amount of humour and a few clues being dropped, along with a shoal of red herrings. This is a well-written, piece of fun and suspense, presented by a friendly team and talented cast. Try to catch it."

 Gordon The Optom

Premiere Production: 1998: First produced by the Guild Players at the Kilshawe Theatre, Deal, Kent.

Characters

  • Casting: 3M, 5F
  • Casting Notes: Ages of Men (35, 40, elderly), Ages of Women (18, 20, 28, 40, 50s)

  • LINDA - attractive, smart, capable. 20s.
    GINNY - earnest and naive. 18.
    SANDRA - bright and confident. 20s.
    HARRY - the caretaker, a garrulous old boy.
    ALEX - attractive, conceited, self-interested, the romantic interest. late 20s.
    SYLVIA - glamorous, the leading lady type, in love with Alex but married to Martin. 35.
    MARTIN - self-confident, pompous but charming. 40s.
    MOPPET - messy, untidy, sweet, likeable. 50s.

    • Available Material

    Name Price
    Curtain Up on Murder Script Order Now

    An amateur theatre company is rehearsing in the theatre at the end of the pier. Storms rage overhead and the doors are locked — they are trapped! Then a mysterious, ghostly presence passes across the stage, and when the Assistant Stage Manager falls to certain death through a trapdoor, the remaining actors are thrown into disarray. Their panic increases when one of the actresses is poisoned and it becomes evident that a murderer is in their midst...

    		$24.95

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