From Jessie
Updated plotline so far (by request of Katie) for us to present. Notes to fellow plotters in [bracketed italics] (those bits aren't for the class).
Intro
Our idea for the murder mystery this year, in keeping with ideas by past years' classes, is to set it in a 1920's era speakeasy/nightclub. Some of us have been planning this out a little further online and by phone for the past month or so. We have some ideas - nothing set in stone - but just a general plotline we'd like to suggest. We want to emphasize that we are not going to tell anybody what to do. The general plot structure we have is very open, and the only fully planned characters are the ones we know we want to play. None of us is the murderer, either - that one's still open. There is room in the script for whatever character you have envisioned, if you're willing to adapt it to the setting.
Please understand, though, that we don't have to use this particular storyline at all. However, it would be extremely convenient for the class to adopt the already partially-planned version for at least two reasons: not only have we brought a lot of costumes befitting that era for other people to use but also a pre-planned version, as opposed to starting from scratch, will put us under less time pressure, give us a little more freedom, and possibly allow us to have a better-planned, less frantic, more enjoyable mystery.
Characters
Now, the characters we want to play are as follows [note for fellow plotters: this is not the place to overwhelm with details - keep it short and snappy]:
Monica - bar owner called Tony Taglioni, sneaky kind of guy, mixed up in shady business.
Jessie - nightclub performer/singer called Nora West, ambitious, in a power-centric relationship with Tony.
Katie - partially drunk and comically incompetent detective Trent Blanc, possibly made up to be in black and white makeup, occasionally speaks in the third person
Matt - nightclub performer/musician Perrier Dupont, ex-war, modest and unassuming (rare for a performer!)
Counselor Chris - Tony (Monica)'s illegal alcohol supplier (from Canada, natch) who gets killed pretty early on.
Other characters we'd like to include in the plot, but haven't cast yet:
Snobby Socialite - will do anything to get ahead in the social world. Hates Nora and wants power, possibly ownership of the bar. Possible name: Idelle Chattre?
Assorted performers and showgirls (including a talentless but egotistical hack - think Gilderoy Lockhart)
Assorted audience members (including a sleazy old guy who pervs on all the showgirls)
Bartender
Announcer/Stage Manager
Fanboy - absolutely in love with Nora, will do anything for her approval, potentially the main murderer.
Listen to our plot ideas, and then claim the characters if you like them. Remember, there's still room for other characters as well. If you want to be a bouncer, a newspaper boy, an off-duty cop, or whatever, there's still room for you.
THE (rough outline of the) PLOT:
The nightclub is called Bob's, or possibly The Plastic Fern. There is an event or a special show going on, so the audience is packed, including characters from our class as well as the rest of camp as audience. The announcer or Tony opens the evening, and the plot begins.
Tony Taglioni (Monica), owner of the club, is in a little bit of financial trouble, possibly to do with his illegal rum-running business, or a gambling ring, or something. Nobody knows, but Nora finds out (the audience, however, does not know at this point.) Nora and Tony have a fantastic screaming argument (ideally played entirely unseen behind a curtain) culminating in Tony loudly slapping Nora across the face, saying "You don't understand what you're talking about." Nora comes out later with a red handprint on her face, and, in a conversation with a showgirl, claims, "He'll get what's coming to him." After this, Tony is found dead. Suspicion naturally falls on Nora, especially when it is discovered that Tony left the bar to her in his will. Various other people jockey for position as the new top dog, including Miss Socialite, who violently opposes Nora on almost all fronts.
Chris is found dead, and a clue with him, detailing his connection to Tony (which nobody was supposed to know about).
More jockeying for position occurs amongst the members of the club. However, everyone is reluctant to call the police, as alcohol consumption was illegal at that point, and all are likely to be arrested. However, a lone and slightly inebriated private eye steps forward to save the day, unfortunately only succeeding in muddling things up a bit.
Miss Socialite is found dead, and suspicion falls even more towards Nora.
After this, we have very little plot, except that we want another person or two to die, and more clues to come out that push the blame towards someone other than Nora (otherwise it's a bit ridiculous and far too obvious).
In the end, it turns out to be the Fanboy who killed most of the people (mostly because they were mean or unkind to Nora and he wanted to make her happy). As Nora and the Fanboy had no relationship to speak of (aside from maybe a blown kiss), there is no chance he could have been her accomplice, so it's nicely misleading. Additionally, there is potential to have another killer as well (because really, what would be Fanboy's motive to kill Tony and Chris? Maybe Miss Socialite did it), and mislead everyone with two murderers.
The PI gets his moment and (surprisingly, considering his altered state) solves the crime, accusing the murderers and explaining everything in typical noir style. All is resolved.
Add-ins and whatnot:
Since past years' mysteries have all been pronounced "pretty hard to follow," this year we want to have Tony come back from the dead to be a ghostly narrator for the audience for the remainder of the show, but none of the cast members will be able to see him.
Last year, for the 1970s themed "Tragical Magical Mystery Tour," we had every group come up with a creative commercial, to present to the camp during the "intermission." Mike said he really liked that, so this year we want to do something like that again. The idea we have is that a performer is killed (possibly Matt's character) and so we ask the audience groups to come up with a "replacement act" and present it to everyone.
We want to serve actual drinks to everyone, like they're really in a speakeasy. It would totally help with the illusion! Think sparkling cider in small plastic "glasses" (Jessie brought some).
Jessie has at least two songs she happens to know which are period- and setting-appropriate, and which she could sing if need be.
We would like to play this indoors, in the mess hall if possible. Last year's - which was half-outdoors, half-indoors, for those who weren't there - got much more controlled once we moved it inside. Additionally, the cafeteria has a stage and many tables, which would fit the setting rather well.
Conclusion
We do want everyone to understand that we are not going to push this on you, and we are not going to demand that everyone go along with our vision. We just think it's a good start, and it would make the planning a bit easier and less rushed if we adopted it. There is still a lot of room for individualization and elaboration in the plot, as you can see, and we definitely want this to be everyone's work, not just ours.
What do you think?
Intro
Our idea for the murder mystery this year, in keeping with ideas by past years' classes, is to set it in a 1920's era speakeasy/nightclub. Some of us have been planning this out a little further online and by phone for the past month or so. We have some ideas - nothing set in stone - but just a general plotline we'd like to suggest. We want to emphasize that we are not going to tell anybody what to do. The general plot structure we have is very open, and the only fully planned characters are the ones we know we want to play. None of us is the murderer, either - that one's still open. There is room in the script for whatever character you have envisioned, if you're willing to adapt it to the setting.
Please understand, though, that we don't have to use this particular storyline at all. However, it would be extremely convenient for the class to adopt the already partially-planned version for at least two reasons: not only have we brought a lot of costumes befitting that era for other people to use but also a pre-planned version, as opposed to starting from scratch, will put us under less time pressure, give us a little more freedom, and possibly allow us to have a better-planned, less frantic, more enjoyable mystery.
Characters
Now, the characters we want to play are as follows [note for fellow plotters: this is not the place to overwhelm with details - keep it short and snappy]:
Monica - bar owner called Tony Taglioni, sneaky kind of guy, mixed up in shady business.
Jessie - nightclub performer/singer called Nora West, ambitious, in a power-centric relationship with Tony.
Katie - partially drunk and comically incompetent detective Trent Blanc, possibly made up to be in black and white makeup, occasionally speaks in the third person
Matt - nightclub performer/musician Perrier Dupont, ex-war, modest and unassuming (rare for a performer!)
Counselor Chris - Tony (Monica)'s illegal alcohol supplier (from Canada, natch) who gets killed pretty early on.
Other characters we'd like to include in the plot, but haven't cast yet:
Snobby Socialite - will do anything to get ahead in the social world. Hates Nora and wants power, possibly ownership of the bar. Possible name: Idelle Chattre?
Assorted performers and showgirls (including a talentless but egotistical hack - think Gilderoy Lockhart)
Assorted audience members (including a sleazy old guy who pervs on all the showgirls)
Bartender
Announcer/Stage Manager
Fanboy - absolutely in love with Nora, will do anything for her approval, potentially the main murderer.
Listen to our plot ideas, and then claim the characters if you like them. Remember, there's still room for other characters as well. If you want to be a bouncer, a newspaper boy, an off-duty cop, or whatever, there's still room for you.
THE (rough outline of the) PLOT:
The nightclub is called Bob's, or possibly The Plastic Fern. There is an event or a special show going on, so the audience is packed, including characters from our class as well as the rest of camp as audience. The announcer or Tony opens the evening, and the plot begins.
Tony Taglioni (Monica), owner of the club, is in a little bit of financial trouble, possibly to do with his illegal rum-running business, or a gambling ring, or something. Nobody knows, but Nora finds out (the audience, however, does not know at this point.) Nora and Tony have a fantastic screaming argument (ideally played entirely unseen behind a curtain) culminating in Tony loudly slapping Nora across the face, saying "You don't understand what you're talking about." Nora comes out later with a red handprint on her face, and, in a conversation with a showgirl, claims, "He'll get what's coming to him." After this, Tony is found dead. Suspicion naturally falls on Nora, especially when it is discovered that Tony left the bar to her in his will. Various other people jockey for position as the new top dog, including Miss Socialite, who violently opposes Nora on almost all fronts.
Chris is found dead, and a clue with him, detailing his connection to Tony (which nobody was supposed to know about).
More jockeying for position occurs amongst the members of the club. However, everyone is reluctant to call the police, as alcohol consumption was illegal at that point, and all are likely to be arrested. However, a lone and slightly inebriated private eye steps forward to save the day, unfortunately only succeeding in muddling things up a bit.
Miss Socialite is found dead, and suspicion falls even more towards Nora.
After this, we have very little plot, except that we want another person or two to die, and more clues to come out that push the blame towards someone other than Nora (otherwise it's a bit ridiculous and far too obvious).
In the end, it turns out to be the Fanboy who killed most of the people (mostly because they were mean or unkind to Nora and he wanted to make her happy). As Nora and the Fanboy had no relationship to speak of (aside from maybe a blown kiss), there is no chance he could have been her accomplice, so it's nicely misleading. Additionally, there is potential to have another killer as well (because really, what would be Fanboy's motive to kill Tony and Chris? Maybe Miss Socialite did it), and mislead everyone with two murderers.
The PI gets his moment and (surprisingly, considering his altered state) solves the crime, accusing the murderers and explaining everything in typical noir style. All is resolved.
Add-ins and whatnot:
Since past years' mysteries have all been pronounced "pretty hard to follow," this year we want to have Tony come back from the dead to be a ghostly narrator for the audience for the remainder of the show, but none of the cast members will be able to see him.
Last year, for the 1970s themed "Tragical Magical Mystery Tour," we had every group come up with a creative commercial, to present to the camp during the "intermission." Mike said he really liked that, so this year we want to do something like that again. The idea we have is that a performer is killed (possibly Matt's character) and so we ask the audience groups to come up with a "replacement act" and present it to everyone.
We want to serve actual drinks to everyone, like they're really in a speakeasy. It would totally help with the illusion! Think sparkling cider in small plastic "glasses" (Jessie brought some).
Jessie has at least two songs she happens to know which are period- and setting-appropriate, and which she could sing if need be.
We would like to play this indoors, in the mess hall if possible. Last year's - which was half-outdoors, half-indoors, for those who weren't there - got much more controlled once we moved it inside. Additionally, the cafeteria has a stage and many tables, which would fit the setting rather well.
Conclusion
We do want everyone to understand that we are not going to push this on you, and we are not going to demand that everyone go along with our vision. We just think it's a good start, and it would make the planning a bit easier and less rushed if we adopted it. There is still a lot of room for individualization and elaboration in the plot, as you can see, and we definitely want this to be everyone's work, not just ours.
What do you think?
