A NEW MURDER MYSTERY MUSICAL

Book by Christopher R. Johnson
Music and Lyrics by Jeff French

Synopsis

Old Book

The show opens with a group of Dickensian carolers inviting the audience to the show and welcoming the season (Overture/Opening Carol). A narrator then leads us into the story.

As Bob Cratchett requests to leave early from his work at the Marley and Scrooge Company on Christmas Eve, Scrooge evicts Cratchett for past due rent, citing it is not personal but only business. Cratchett leaves saddened but still manages to wish Scrooge a Merry Christmas. Scrooge reflects on his disdainful view of the season and laments over his deceased business partner and mentor, Jacob Marley, who taught him about the importance of business and money (Charity! Bah Humbug!).

Cratchett stops by the Goose and Gander pub on his way home and meets up with two fellow employees and friends, Francis and Nicholas. Nicholas, a cousin to Scrooge, is discouraged to bear the same family name. Bob tells them about the eviction and then reflects on the days of his youth when Scrooge was a nicer man and taught him about the business (Balance the Books).

Scrooge is in his bedroom when the ghost of Jacob Marley arrives (Marley’s Entrance). Marley warns Scrooge of his impending doom, advises that he will be visited by three more ghosts, and reminds him about the importance of love and kindness (Marley’s Speech).

Having arrived home, Bob Cratchett has told Mrs. Cratchett about the eviction. She is quite impassioned and lets her husband know what she thinks of Scrooge without holding back. Mr. Cratchett reminds her about the reason for the season and that they should be forgiving of Scrooge, suggesting they prepare a gift basket for him. She eventually concedes (The Solitary Reason).

Back at the pub, Francis becomes emotional talking with Nicholas and reflecting on the company parties and the dances at the pub years ago when she and Scrooge first began a romantic relationship, which ended when Scrooge began to focus more on his career (Ebenezer and Me). The Cratchett’s arrive and the four friends decide to show Scrooge the power of love and forgiveness by sending him a gift basket on every conceivable holiday which eventually escalates into the idea of sending baskets all around the world. Nicholas leads them as they jest that in doing so, they will corner the wicker market (Wicker Misers).

Scrooge is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past, a woman who leads him to a company party that took place at the Goose and Gander twenty years prior when he first asked Francis to dance (Party Waltz-20 Years Ago). Scrooge enters the past as Nicholas greets him and congratulates him on becoming a partner in the newly-formed Scrooge and Marley Company, to the objection of Marley who says it is the Marley and Scrooge Company (Scrooge and Marley). A dance begins as Scrooge makes his way over to Francis to ask her to dance as he did 20 years before (The Dance). Just as Scrooge and Francis stop under the mistletoe, the scene is ended abruptly and Scrooge has his first glimpse into the man he was and a different path he could have taken. As the Spirit leaves, she advises him that love does not come to an end (It’s Never Too Late).

Alone, Scrooge begins to eat the turkey, bread, cheese, and wine from the basket delivered earlier to his house, and that was from the four friends. Assuming the spirits of the night to be from his imagination, he retires back to sleep. The Ghost of Christmas Present arrives and tries to wake him, only to discover that Scrooge is now dead in his bed (Entrance of Christmas Present and End of Act I).  

Act Two opens with the now ghost of Scrooge asking why the Ghost of Christmas Present is there. She explains that she was someone whose life was cut short early, and although she is missed by those who loved her, she has a new mission to help others see the path to enlightenment of the importance of love (It Is a Sacrifice). She leads Scrooge throughout the city of London where they see a young couple homeless because Scrooge had evicted them earlier that day. His heart is somewhat softened when he realizes the young girl is pregnant (Silent Night). He pleads with the spirit to take him home.

Scrooge, convinced he was poisoned (Poisoned!) by something he ate from the basket resolves to find his murderer. They head to the Goose and Gander of current day, where the annual company party is happening (Party Waltz-Present Day). Nicholas interupts the party to announce he just learned that Scrooge is dead. Everyone is shocked but Mrs. Cratchett, who delights in the news (Scrooge and Marley Reprise). The audience are considered attendees of the party and Scrooge inquires of them who they think murdered him. The four friends are also there but they cannot see Scrooge. Lots of good fun in this as they ask the audience, “Who are you talking to?” The scene ends with the cast asking the audience to figure out the murderer (Who Killed Ebenezer Scrooge?).

Scrooge is made aware of the murderer, and he and the spirit return to his bedroom where she encourages Scrooge to forgive the person (It’s Never Too Late Reprise). Scrooge realizes the error of his wicked ways and desires to be like the Ghost of Christmas Present in order to help others, but she advises that his lesson is not over. The Ghost of Christmas Future, a dark silent figure, leads Scrooge to the Goose and Gander where the four friends are gathered (Into the Future). Aware that he had died, they believe him to be a ghost come to haunt them, when Francis suddenly realizes she can feel him and, therefore, he cannot be a ghost. Scrooge himself realizes the second chance he was given. Overjoyed, he forgives his murderer, absolves the debt the Cratchett’s owed, gives Bob a raise in salary, and makes Nicholas a partner (It’s Great to Be Alive).

Scrooge asks Nicholas to seek out the young pregnant couple he evicted earlier and invite them to come to dinner, so that he can make amends with them and find them a home. Nicholas leaves straight away with the Cratchetts to do so. Alone, Scrooge and Francis reunite and dance as they did twenty years ago, their love for one another having never come to an end (Ebenezer and Me Reprise).



Characters

NOTE: The production can be accomplished with a smaller cast of EIGHT players with some actors doubling up.

EBENEZER SCROOGE (Male) -- In his mid-50’s. A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint. Secret and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. He is about to change.

BOB CRATCHETT (Male) -- In his mid-30’s. Clerk to Ebenezer at the Marley & Scrooge Company where he has been employed for about 10 years. He is a kind, forgiving man with a huge heart, despite being ill-treated by Scrooge.

FRANCIS (Female) -- A handsome unmarried woman in her mid-50’s, who has worked at the Marley & Scrooge Company for nearly 30 years. A gentle and caring soul, she was once betrothed to Scrooge, who chose his career and love of money over her, and she has never gotten over her love for him.

MRS. CRATCHETT (Male or Female) -- The lively wife of Bob Cratchett, she is in her mid-30’s, but comes across much older due to a poor, hard life. The part may be played by a man in the manner of Terry Jones from Monty Python. Mrs. Cratchett is considerably shorter than Bob Cratchett.

NICHOLAS SCROOGE (Male) -- The cousin of Ebenezer Scrooge, he is of similar age, perhaps a little younger, in his early 50’s. He is a worry-some, caring man, who can get a bit flustered. He, too, works at the Marley & Scrooge Company, and is embarrassed to bear the same family name as Ebenezer.

JACOB MARLEY (Male) -- The seven-years “dead as a door-nail” partner of Ebenezer. He was considerably older than Ebenezer, and almost as tightfisted. He brought up Ebenezer in the company, twisting him into being the skinflint, money-grubbing person he is today. He appears as a pale spirit carrying heavy chains, who is sent to warn Ebenezer of his impending doom.

NARRATOR (Male) -- A proper Eton or Oxford English speaking professorial-type. Also, a member of the Carolers.

CHRISTMAS PAST (Female) -- A spirit embodied by a woman (age does not matter), she was sent to show Ebenezer his past so that he may learn a lesson that love does not come to an end and it is never too late to change.

CHRISTMAS PRESENT (Female) -- A spirit embodied by a woman of mid-age named Elaine who died unexpectedly. A kind spirit, who loves others, she is sent to show Ebenezer the result of his cruelty and misplaced focus in life through the visions of the present.

CHRISTMAS FUTURE (Male) -- A non-speaking role, in the persona of the Grim Reaper, with the black hood, scythe and all. The character appears unnaturally taller than Ebenezer.

CAROLERS/DANCERS/OTHER PLAYERS
Three or four additional players to provide voices of Carolers, townspeople on the street, a man and his pregnant wife evicted by Scrooge, and other employees at the parties who mix and mingle and dance.

Music

ORCHESTRATIONS
Instrumentation

17 players as follows:

Woodwinds (4)

 Flute/Piccolo

 Oboe/English Horn

 I, II Clarinet in Bb

Brass (5)

 I, II French Horn in F

 I, II Trumpet in Bb

 Tenor Trombone

Percussion (2)

 Trap set

 Timpani, Glockenspiel, Chimes

 Other (woodblocks, wind chimes, sleigh bells, triangle)

Keyboards (2)

 Piano, Harp, Various Synth

Strings (4)

 I, II Violins

 Cello

 Double Bass

Complete Accompaniment Tracks Available

Accompaniment Tracks are also available for rent in MP3 format and includes all songs, overtures and incidental music.

MUSICAL NUMBERS
ACT ONE

Opening Carol (Carolers)


Charity! Bah! Humbug! (Scrooge)


Balance the Books (Bob Cratchett, Francis, Nicholas)


The Solitary Reason (Mr. and Mrs. Cratchett)


Ebenezer and Me (Francis)


Wicker Miser (Nicholas, Francis, Cratchetts)


Scrooge and Marley (Nicholas and Ensemble)


It’s Never Too Late (Christmas Past)



ACT TWO

It Is a Sacrifice (Christmas Present)


Scrooge and Marley (reprise) (Mr. and Mrs. Cratchett)


Who Killed Ebenezer Scrooge? (Ensemble)


It's Never Too Late (reprise) (Scrooge, Christmas Present)


It's Great To Be Alive (Scrooge, Nicholas, Francis, Mr. and Mrs. Cratchett)


Ebenezer and Me (reprise) (Scrooge)

Creative Team

Christopher R.
Johnson

Book

Christopher began his work in the theater as a sound engineer for JackSonn Productions Dinner Theatre. After appearing on stage in lead roles and doing character work in several murder mysteries, he focused his talents on writing and directing.
He wrote and directed his first murder mystery in the early 90's, Who Shot the Sheriff? in which he also acted. He followed it up with My Boyfriend's Back and The Devil Came Up to Flat Rock, all of which were produced by JackSonn Productions and garnered high reviews from audiences.
Christopher is also author of Year 20: A Serial Science Fiction Adventure Book, a 5-star-review novella available in Kindle Edition through Amazon.

Jeff
French

Music and Lyrics

Jeff has been a vibrant part of the theater community for over two decades as a composer, arranger, musical director, and performer. He earned a Music Scholarship from Wayne State University in Detroit where he focused on music theory and composition. Jeff further honed his skills at the Commercial Theater Institute in New York City, where he completed an intensive program on theater production led by top Broadway producers.
His notable writing credits include Bethlehem in My Heart, a Christmas cantata presented by the choir of the First Presbyterian Church of Trenton, and his work as contributing composer, arranger and lyricist for The Hunchback of Notre Dame, produced by Huron Civic Theatre. Other musical projects include House of Sourdhes produced in association with DYPAC, and two additional murder mystery musicals, The Bride Wore Black and Murder! Vaudeville Style, both produced by JackSonn Productions Dinner Theatre.
In addition to his theatrical endeavors, Jeff has also recorded two solo piano albums, Unchanging Grace and Inheritance, which are available through iTunes, Amazon, and iHeart Radio.
Jeff is a member of The Dramatist Guild of America.

Production Photos