Murder mystery script
Murder at the Shell Café
The place: the Shell Café, Pismo Beach, California. The date: April 1, 1940 (that’s right, April Fools’). Gone with the Wind just swept the Oscars, and not far up the coast a certain newspaper gentleman still wields a great deal of power from his castle on the hill. The Shell Café is a convenient rest stop on the way to San Simeon, so you never know who might drop in. Tonight it’s everybody. Fading actress Marion, world-famous producer-director-star Charlie, and ruthless gossip columnist Lolly have come to meet in secret and are doing a terrible job of it. Then an ambitious young radio genius named Orson storms in with Mexican movie star Dolores hot on his heels. She was not following him; it was a “constituent.” Plots are hatched, a certain script comes up, Hollywood meets Hearst, and by Act III someone has eaten their last clam. Based loosely (very loosely) on people who really might have stopped there, with an Introductory Improv that seats the cast among your guests. A three-act Golden Age of Hollywood murder mystery by John Logue.
Characters
- Host — Male or female, any age; welcomes the guests
- Marion — Fading actress in her mid-40s
- Charlie — World-famous producer/director/movie star in his mid-50s
- Lolly — Ruthless gossip columnist in her early 50s
- Orson — Ambitious, brilliant director in his mid-20s
- Dolores — Beautiful Mexican movie star in her mid-30s
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