A Killer Party

A Killer Party: A Murder Mystery Musical is a digital remotely performed musical created in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. It began streaming as a 9-episode web series on Vimeo on August 5, 2020.^[1][2] Its creative team includes Jason Howland (Music), Nathan Tysen (Lyrics), Rachel Axler and Kait Kerrigan (Book), Marc Bruni (Direction), Bobby Pearce (Costume Design), Billy Jay Stein (Music Producer) and HMS Media (Video Post-Production).^[3][4]

The virtual musical was produced by Kevin Duda & Jason Howland.^[5]

On August 11, 2020, Music Theater International acquired the licensing rights to the musical.^[6][7]

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]

• Official Site