| A Killer Party | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Rachel Axler Kait Kerrigan |
| Directed by | Marc Bruni |
| Starring | Krystina Alabado Jackie Burns Carolee Carmello Miguel Cervantes Drew Gehling Jeremy Jordan Alex Newell Laura Osnes Michael James Scott Jarrod Spector Jessica Keenan Wynn |
| Composers | Jason Howland (music) Nathan Tysen (lyrics) |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Producers | Kevin Duda Jason Howland |
| Production location | Virtual |
| Editors | Christie Fall Matt Hoffman Kristin Klinger |
| Camera setup | Videotelephony |
| Running time | 85 minutes |
| Production companies | Kevin Duda Productions HMS Media Mystery Musical |
| Original release | |
| Network | Vimeo |
| Release | August 5 (2020-08-05) – August 19, 2020 (2020-08-19) |
A Killer Party: A Murder Mystery Musical is a digital remotely performed musical created in 2020 during theCOVID-19 pandemic. It began streaming as a 9-episodeweb series onVimeo on August 5, 2020.[1][2] Its creative team includesJason Howland (Music),Nathan Tysen (Lyrics),Rachel Axler andKait Kerrigan (Book), Marc Bruni (Direction),Bobby Pearce (Costume Design),Billy Jay Stein (Music Producer) and HMS Media (Video Post-Production).[3][4]
The virtual musical was produced by Kevin Duda & Jason Howland.[5]
On August 11, 2020,Music Theater International acquired the licensing rights to the musical.[6][7]
In Duluth, Minnesota, Varthur McArthur, the artistic director of a struggling theater company, invites his cast and crew to a virtual reading of his new project, an “immersive murder mystery dinner party.”[8] During the event, McArthur is unexpectedly killed, turning the gathering into an actual murder investigation.
The dinner guests – Vivika Orsonwelles, Lily Wright, George Murderer, Cameron Mitchelljohn, Clark Staples, and Shea Crescendo – each have ties to McArthur and possible motives for his death.[9] The case is assigned to Detective Justine Case, a police officer recently reassigned from parking duty. Conducting her investigation remotely, she interviews each suspect in isolation and begins to uncover rivalries, personal relationships, and long-standing tensions within the theater troupe.
Told through a series of short musical episodes, the story incorporates parody and self-referential humor, blending elements of classic whodunits with the limitations of online performance during the COVID-19 pandemic.[10] The songs, composed by Jason Howland with lyrics by Nathan Tysen, provide structure to the narrative and emphasize the show’s comic tone.[11]
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Jessica Keenan Wynn | Justine Case |
| Michael James Scott | Varthur McArthur and Arthur McArthur |
| Krystina Alabado | Lily Wright |
| Carolee Carmello | Detective Case |
| Drew Gehling | Cameron Mitchelljohn |
| Jackie Burns[12] | Joan McArthur |
| Laura Osnes | Vivika Orsonwelles |
| Jarrod Spector | George Murderer |
| Alex Newell | Shea Crescendo |
| Miguel Cervantes | Clarke Staples |
| Jeremy Jordan | Jeremy Jordan |
| Dana Costello | Ensemble |
| Rashidra Scott | Ensemble |
| Yasmeen Sulieman | Ensemble |
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