To Wake The Dead: Play Dead Murder Mystery Plays
By Lee Mueller
()
About this ebook
Renown Mystery writer Fred Finnegan has died and all his friends have gathered at his wake. His agent, Lenord Elmore, presides over the wake along with Fred's widow Joyce. Also in attendance are all of Fred's old friends: ex-police Chief Wambaugh. Danny Runyon, a reformed "wise guy" and Peaches Marie Crabtree. Agatha Fletcher, a news reporter from the Associated Wire. The 'Fredrick Finnegan Fan Club' at also present.
The wake starts off normally, but the circumstances of Freddie's death keep coming into question. The one guest who would appreciate answers is Fred himself because he is also there - in spirit -literally.
Only the nerd-ish fanboy Clyde Barker has the gift to "hear" dead people. Can Freddie use Clyde to find out what happened? There is a ghost of a chance. Was it someone at the wake? He's dying to find out.
Lee Mueller
Lee Mueller was born in St. Louis, Missouri. For over thirty years he has been involved in the performing arts, from acting, directing, improv/sketch comedy, and most notably as a playwright. His first one-act play, "In Between Days" was produced during a national writers conference. His second one-act, "The Favor" was a finalist in a short play competition in St. Louis. He has specialized in comedy murder mystery plays that have been produced all over the world. His play "Death Of A Doornail" won "Best Original Comedy" at the 27th Annual "Arty Awards" in Fairfield California. "Murder Me Always" ran for a month at the Laugh Factory in New York. Lee also hosts a Podcast on creativity called "And So The Mind Reels" and has published a collection of short stories called "Idle Essence: Tales Of Marvin".
Read more from Lee Mueller
Basic On Stage Survival Guide For Amateur Actors Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Idle Essence Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsStreet Ends No Outlet Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to To Wake The Dead
Titles in the series (17)
A Medley Of Murder Mystery Plays: Play Dead Murder Mystery Plays, #1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMurder Me Always: Play Dead Murder Mystery Plays, #2 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAnother Medley Of Murder Mystery Plays: Play Dead Murder Mystery Plays, #2 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTalk About A Murder: Play Dead Murder Mystery Plays Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDead 2 Rights: Play Dead Murder Mystery Plays Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDeath Of A Doornail: Play Dead Murder Mystery Plays Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Murder Has Been Renounced: Play Dead Murder Mystery Plays Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAn Audition For A Murder: Play Dead Murder Mystery Plays Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAn Irritation To A Murder: Play Dead Murder Mystery Plays Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsI'm Getting Murdered In The Morning: Play Dead Murder Mystery Plays Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTo Wake The Dead: Play Dead Murder Mystery Plays Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRemains To Be Seen: Play Dead Murder Mystery Plays Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Plot Of Murder: Play Dead Murder Mystery Plays Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDead Air: Play Dead Murder Mystery Plays Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLast Call At Chez Mort: Play Dead Murder Mystery Plays Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsStay As Dead As You Are: Play Dead Murder Mystery Plays Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDeath Near Dead Man's Holler: Play Dead Murder Mystery Plays Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related ebooks
I'm Getting Murdered In The Morning: Play Dead Murder Mystery Plays Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDead Air: Play Dead Murder Mystery Plays Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSelf-Help Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Christmas Carol - Enhanced Edition: A Full Cast Audio Drama Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Great Society: A Play Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTalk About A Murder: Play Dead Murder Mystery Plays Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMoby Dick: A Play Adapted from Herman Melville's Novel Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBatman's Clock Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAn Irritation To A Murder: Play Dead Murder Mystery Plays Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Child of Science (NHB Modern Plays) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDeath Of A Doornail: Play Dead Murder Mystery Plays Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA View from the Bridge (SparkNotes Literature Guide) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNora : A Doll's House (NHB Modern Plays) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Study Guide for Jean Anouilh's "Ring around the Moon" Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBuggy Baby (NHB Modern Plays) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Tale of Two Cities (stage version) (NHB Modern Plays) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDracula of Transylvania: The Epic Play in Three Acts Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Red Room Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Great Expectations (NHB Modern Plays) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5War and Peace (NHB Modern Plays) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Study Guide for Warren Leight's "Side Man" Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDear Santa Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBoscutti's John Harper (Screenplay) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSummer Shorts: Summer Shorts, #1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCyrano de Bergerac Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Slaves of Solitude (stage version) (NHB Modern Plays) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The C. Dennis Moore Horror Movie Guide, Vol. 1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTHE LIES WE TELL OURSELVES: A One-Act Play Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Poems of Emma Lazarus, Volume 2 Jewish poems: Translations Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Performing Arts For You
The Bell Jar: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Measure: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Science of Storytelling: Why Stories Make Us Human and How to Tell Them Better Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5For colored girls who have considered suicide/When the rainbow is enuf Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Becoming Free Indeed: My Story of Disentangling Faith from Fear Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Coreyography: A Memoir Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Macbeth (new classics) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Down the Rabbit Hole: Curious Adventures and Cautionary Tales of a Former Playboy Bunny Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Midsummer Night's Dream, with line numbers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Robin Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Dolls House Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Importance of Being Earnest: A Play Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Our Town: A Play in Three Acts Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Hamlet Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Romeo and Juliet Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Diamond Eye: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Sisters Brothers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Stories I Only Tell My Friends: An Autobiography Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Unsheltered: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Hollywood's Dark History: Silver Screen Scandals Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Count Of Monte Cristo (Unabridged) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Finding Me: An Oprah's Book Club Pick Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Doll’s House: A Play in Three Acts Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes: Revised and Complete Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wuthering Heights Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Quite Nice and Fairly Accurate Good Omens Script Book: The Script Book Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Boy Swallows Universe: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for To Wake The Dead
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
To Wake The Dead - Lee Mueller
PROLOGUE
"To Wake The Dead" by Lee Mueller, Directed by Brian Murphy, was produced by Affton CenterStage Theatre Company in St. Louis, Mo. It ran March 3rd through March 11th 2001 with the following cast:
FRED FINNEGAN – Jack Abels
JOYCE FINNEGAN – Debbie Mowery
LEONARD ELMORE–Brian Murphy
CHIEF WAMBAUGH – Don McDaniel
OFFICER FRANCIS – Tony Manor
DANNY RUNYON – Don Brown
PEACHES MARIE CRABTREE – Jan Harting
AGATHA FLETCHER – Jadienne Nolan
CLYDE BARKER - Steve Karasek
DEENA KOONCE – Tina Clark
STEPHANIE KING – Jamie Neubacher
IRISH GHOST – Lee Mueller
1
ACT ONE
.. Preshow Music: Traditional Instrumental or Vocal Irish Music
Presets: Chief Wambaugh is seated at a table somewhere in the middle of room. Danny and Peaches are seated at a table relatively close to Chief Wambaugh. Deena, Stephanie and Clyde are seated at a table at far end i.e. next close to aisle /wall -having open space on one side of them is important. Prior to show they should come in -in character -mingle etc. Finally Lenny and Joyce should enter -a few moments prior to start time -each holds a drink -Joyce has a handkerchief.
Lenny and Joyce take stage. .
LENNY: {clears throat} If I could have everyone’s attention? {wait for simmering} Thank you. As most of you know, I’m Leonard Elmore. On behalf of Joyce and the family, I would like to thank you all for coming this evening. {Deep sigh}. If anyone were to tell me.. a week ago, I’d be at Fred’s wake today, well, I’d have a few choice
words for them. But I’d owe them an apology wouldn’t I? Because here I am, here we all are.. at Fred Finnegan's’ wake. {Beat} Most of us remember Fred as.. well, an amazing fellow. A good friend and a great writer. He could spin a tale, whether it was his murder mysteries or the supernatural thrillers, Finnegan could keep you turning the page. Which was great for me, I was his editor and publishing agent. Anyway, this evening, we're here in memory and celebration. It's really unfortunate he couldn't be here. Fred always told me that he'd love to attend his own wake. If anything, just to see who would show up. I do see a lot of people here that Fred would be honored to know did show up. Former police Chief Wambaugh. Pulitzer prize-winning writer, P. D. Jamison. Harry Higgens Clark. The list goes on. In honor of Freddie’s wish, about being at his own wake, we have this empty chair up here, just in case. And if he were here, I’m sure he’d be spicing up the evening with his stories and jokes. Especially his jokes. {Smiles and chuckles} I can almost hear him now..
FRED: {from across room} Hey Lenny! {this is as a continuation, not an interruption -there should be no delay in this dialogue exchange }
LENNY: He would call from across the room.
FRED: Why did the Germans invent the wheelbarrow?
LENNY: I don’t know Freddie, I would say, why did the Germans invent the wheelbarrow
FRED: So they could bring the Irish home from the pub!
LENNY: That was one of his favorites. And speaking of favorites, one of Freddie’s favorite things to do was to toast
. If you ever had the privilege to celebrate anything with Finnegan, like one of his books making the top ten or any occasion he felt was worthy of a celebration: St Patrick’s Day, Arbor day, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, then I’m sure you experienced one of his toasts. And by the end of the night, you were sufficiently.. toasted’. In honor of Freddie, we’re going to do a round of toasts. If you’ll indulge me, I like to kick it off here with one of Freddie’s favorites. So, everyone, raise it up.
Here’s to a long life and a merry one. A quick death and an easy one. A pretty girl and an honest one. A cold beer and another one!"
{Raises glass -drinks}
CHIEF: I’ve got one!
LENNY: Well, O.K. Everyone, you know our city’s finest.. Retired Police Chief Wambaugh and.. current candidate for mayor.
CHIEF: Yeah, yeah. They all know me. {Looking around} Especially this table over here. {Indicates table} I almost didn’t recognize ‘em without their arms behind their backs. But anyway, I knew Freddie pretty good. Back when he started writing his cop stories and that. He’d hang out down there at the precinct. Picking up the lingo and that. So, we got to be pretty good buddies. We’d go out sometimes and throw