A Killer Party

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]