Winner of
The Dahris Clair Award
Best Play of 2019
Royal Palm Literary Awards
Murder at the Butcher’s played to four
SOLD-OUT HOUSES
in its World Premiere,
Nov 22-24, 2019 at the Willow Theatre
in Boca Raton, FL.
A dead body can’t simply get up and walk away, can it?
No. Of course not! That would be ridiculous!
____________________________________
“I nearly fell out of my chair. I love every page of this script. It's going to bring the house down every night.”
Teresa Biber LoMonte, Director, after the first table reading of Murder at the Butcher’s.
____________________________________
Murder at the Butcher’s is an award-winning two-act farce, a murder-mystery spoof, that SOLD OUT all four performances of its World Premiere production in November, 2019. Awarding the play the Dahris Clair Memorial Award as the Best Play of 2019, the judges of the Royal Palm Literary Awards said Murder at the Butcher’s is “Hilarious, (with) unforgettable lines (and) a rich level of creativity (from) a master playwright.” Scroll down for more from the judges.
In Murder at the Butcher’s, Benny Benjamin, Brooklyn butcher, and his wife Miriam arrive at their shop one morning to find a dead body in the walk-in fridge. And it’s not just any dead body. It’s Steven Feinman, the philandering bagel-maker, whose affair with the notorious Jennifer St. John has scandalized the neighborhood and ruined his engagement to sweet Michelle Kleinman. Benny and Miriam can’t afford the scandal, so they decide to return at night and get rid of the body. But when they come back, it’s gone! Mayhem ensues, as Detective Dick Dickerson is put on the case, and Benny and Miriam launch a cover up to conceal the truth, even though they don’t know what the truth is. Before long, there’s blood on the floor. But, don’t worry, it’s a butcher shop!
One RPLA judge wrote, “This is a murder mystery and a comedy rolled into one. Who doesn’t like that?”
More from the Royal Palm Literary Awards judges:
The Characters: “The characters shine with personality (and are) quite likable. (They) are...more than stereotypes. Their personalities stand out as unique and different from one another. They seem alive and bubbling with personality...strongly portrayed and distinct. Dialogue and character representation are right on target. (The Michelle/Jennifer character) is a very creative twist.”
The Plot: “The opening is strong and funny (and) will hook the audience. The story...is told very well. The farcical nature of the play is...very creative (and) taken to the extreme in a couple of scenes. The plot twists and turns...keep the audience guessing at potential outcomes. There are multiple sub-plots to add to the mystery. The plot (delivers) the expected silliness of a farce.”
The Playwright: “The characters are in the hands of a master playwright (with) a rich level of creativity. (He) has an excellent grasp of comedy. This playwright knows how to manipulate character for the purpose of entertainment.”
The Script: “The dialogue flow is excellent (with) wonderful humor and double entendres (and some) unforgettable lines. The various asides throughout the script add to the farcical nature of the dialogue and situations. (Dialogue elements are) realistic in the emotion and intensity (and) filled with innuendo that does add a madcap type atmosphere. (The script) is very well edited, and much of it is very witty plays on words with plenty of humor.”
For Producers, Directors and Actors: “(Murder at the Butcher’s is) a very good farce that would play very well in community theatre productions. Actors will find it easy to fast-pace through the short lines and to...effectively play off one another. The direction is also done without becoming micro-management. The actions and bodily expressions are appropriate guides for the actor and director. Much of the direction of character movement leaves ample opportunity for the actors to ad lib. The playwright makes very good use of the stage (with) clever, unique settings that will challenge set designers in a good way to produce interesting and viable sets for a variety of theatres.”