The Butler Did It, Again!

By Tim Kelly

Directed by Raymond Bradford

Publisher and socialite, indomitable Miss Maple rents a plantation house, complete with menacing alligator, in the frightening swap land of Louisiana. She wants to introduce her latest literary discovery, Ruth Dice, who has written a first novel entitled Conversations with a Ghoul. Ruth has only contempt for the guests. Classic detective prototypes like tough Chandler Marlow, chic Manhattan couple Rick and Laura Carlyle, westerner Tony Tallchief. She dismisses Louie Fan and gentle Father White as has-been hacks and so naturally, she's the perfect candidate for murder. However, it's the bizarre owner of the house of secrets, Jasper Van Dine, who's discovered in the parlor with a scalpel once belonging to Jack the Ripper in his back! Whodunnit? It's up to the flakey detective writers to unravel the puzzle. Chills, thrills, alibis, clues, motives, and dazzling plot twists fly about the stage like pies-in-the-face where nothing is what it seems to be.

Produced by Bay Players at Whitefish Bay High School Auditorium, 1200 E Fairmount Ave., Whitefish Bay, WI 53217

Performances: April 4-12, 2014

Performance Times: April 4, 5, 11 & 12 8 PM

Ticket Prices: Student/Senior $14.00 Adult $16.00 Group (10 or more) $10/per

Call (414) 299-9040 for reservations or more information.

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Auditions

Auditions will be held on the following days:

1/20/2014
1/21/2014

The Bay Players AUDITIONS!!!!

January 20 and 21, 2014 - 7:00 PM
Whitefish Bay High School Cafeteria

The Butler Did It, Again!

Cast: 6m/6f
All AGES


Miss Jane Maple - Female
She’s a publisher and socialite who’s known for her imaginative parties. She has invited to group of mystery writers to assume the characters of their famous novels. Unfortunately all doesn’t go as planned, again. This time Miss Maple has rented a plantation house, Spanish Moss, in the frightening swamp land of Louisiana. Suddenly the owner of Spanish Moss is murdered, can the mystery writers discover who the murderer is before one of them become the next victim.

Reginald “Chips” Woodward - Male
He’s the old family retainer of Mr. Jasper Van Dine (The owner of the Plantation, Spanish Moss) that Miss Maple has renter the property from. He’s more interested in his pension than serving Miss Maple. Ready to throw in a red-herring, whenever he can, but all is not as it seems with this servant.

Laura Carlyle - Female
The super-sweet Manhattan socialite author, who’s married to Rick Carlyle. Laura always tries to see the good in everyone and every situation but Miss Maple’s new discovery, Ruth Dice has her worried and when Laura meets Ruth, sparks fly.

Jane Doe - Female
She’s Miss Maple’s social secretary, who is a very officious woman who like to make sure Miss Maples has all that she needs. Jane really doesn’t have the patience to deal with Chips. Jane’s really not the woman everyone thinks she is and what connection does she have with the author Harriet Beecher Stove and her novel “The Corpse Went Slumming”.

Ruth Dice - Female
She’s Miss Maples new discovery, the author of “Conversation with a Ghoul”. When Ruth arrives she sees a shadowy figure who turns out to be Mr. Jasper Van Dine but he ends up dead behind the sofa. Ruth has contempt for all the other writers, believing her writing superior to theirs. Although not liking Chandler’s writing, she’s attracted to his manly charm. The question is, is she about to become the victim of the unknown assassin.

Father Frank White - Male
Famous mystery writer, who has assumed the persona of his character, Father Frank White. He excels in theart of deduction. Father White uses the psychological approach. With being a man of the cloth, he does not approve of Ruth Dice’s style of novels. When Mrs. Danvers “sister” Eunice Meriwether arrives and throws the spanner in the works, this gets Father White’s mind working.

Isabel Hamilton/Mrs. Danvers/Eunice Meriwether - Female
Isabel Hamilton an actress who is employed by Miss Maple to play the Housekeeper of Spanish Moss in the guise of “Mrs. Danvers”. Miss Maple spotted Isabel in a revival of Daphne Du Maurier’s “Rebecca”. Just to spice things up she also pretends to be her own sister Eunice Meriwether.

Tony Tallchief - Male
He writes mystery novels that features an American Indian. He’s a man of the Old West, when men were men. Tony’s new to Miss Maples’s games but his simple charm commonsense is more than a match for her. After the murder of Mr. Jasper Van Dine, he and Rick transport the body upstairs.

Louie Fan - Male
He’s the writer of the famous Louie Fan Mysteries, the Oriental Detective. He has a very bad Oriental accent, speaking in a staccato fashion. Louie has the unfortunate habit of accusing everyone of murder, with little or no proof. He has absolutely no talent as a mystery writer and his book sales reflect this. Louie is known for his quirky sayings that do not make sense to anyone but him.

Rick Carlyle - Male
He’s the other part of the Manhattan mystery writing duo, Rick’s married to Laura Carlyle. He’s never without his stuffed dog Napoleon, now that Laura has developed an allergy to real dog fur, this is the closet that he has to man’s best friend. Rick’s worried that the appearance of Ruth Dice, he thinks that she’s here to replace Laura and himself. Rick’s a man of action, carrying the now deceased Mr. Jasper Van Dine with Tony and when Chandler needs his help, he comes to Chandler’s aid.

Linda Hayes - Female
She’s engaged to Chandler Marlowe and she’s the last person he had expected find as a guest at this weekend party. Linda got invited to Spanish Moss by a mysterious phone call. Why is she there? Who invited her? And What is her connection to the old family retainer “Chips”.

Chandler Marlowe - Male
As the name suggests, he is the quintessential Sam Spade character – hard boiled, hard living, talk-out-of-the-side-of-his-mouth tough guy. Humphrey Bogart take notes. It is he who arranged for his secretary to apply for the job at Ravenswood Manor.