Death and Taxes
By Pat Cook.
Product Code: D60000
Full-length Play
Comedy
Cast size: 4m., 5w.
Livestream and Record & Stream Rights Available
Rights and availability
This title can be licensed and sold throughout the World.
* Please note the royalty rate listed is the minimum royalty rate per performance. The actual royalty rate will be determined upon completion of a royalty application.
Synopsis
Ever wonder what goes on at a small-town city council meeting? In Hendricks, they're looking for a murderer. Mayor Kathleen Lyles boldly announces that the meeting will be more like a coroner's jury than the usual round of arguments. Not only was a man murdered, but he was an employee of the IRS. "Somehow I don't feel that bad!" Carl Johansen says, as the sheriff clamps the cuffs on him, making him the prime suspect. Slowly it becomes apparent the entire city council had seen the man, and each of them seems to be hiding something. Who murdered the stranger? Was it Cora Sedgewick, who was still dizzy at the time from stepping on a rake and being thumped in the face with its handle? Or newspaper editor King, who's right on the spot to report the facts, if he could only find a pencil? Or maybe the mayor herself, who was doing her laundry in the back of city hall? This easy-to-stage intrigue is chock-full of small-town characters and hilarious dialogue. And, as an added bonus, it can be produced as an audience participation mystery where the audience can not only see the scene of the crime but also question the suspects.
Notes
Livestream and Record & Stream Rights Available
Details
- Status In stock
- Type of Show Full-length Play
- Product Code D60000
- Minimum Cast Size 9
- Pages of Dialogue 70
- Min. Royalty Rate $110.00/perf
- Approx. Run Time 90 min
- Staging One int. set.
Categories
- Target Audience High School | College and Adult | Family (all ages) | Senior Adults
- Performing Group High School | College Theatre | Community Theatre | Professional Theatre | Senior Theatre | Touring Group | Dinner Theatre
- Genre Comedy
- ISBN(13) 9780871294098
Customer Reviews
Death and taxes are two things everyone worries about. Add to that a murder mystery, and you've got a show! Cool, quirky characters, easy to stage, audience participation easily included, set/props/costumes no problem at all ... and fun for actors and audience.
Hints, Tips, and Tricks
To make the character of Mattie sillier, we put her in hair curlers. We couldn't find a gun to use for the character of Wesley, so we hooked him up with a maglite flashlight to add to the craziness of the play. To spice up the character of the drama teacher, we had her wear a different type of hat each time she came on stage.
Production Map
| Location | City | State | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ayer Shirley Regional Middle School | Shirley | MA | 04/25/2025 | 04/27/2025 |
| Hueytown Community Theatre | Hueytown | AL | 04/25/2025 | 05/04/2025 |
Gallery
Death and Taxes - Amateur Community Theatre of Rowlett, Rowlett, TX
Also By These Authors
Keela Smith, Marion Middle School, Marion, Va.