HANA THE HOSTESS



HANA HOSTESS SCRIPT

Welcome to Casino Revél for an awesome Murder Mystery Party.

Let me introduce myself. I am Hana, your hostess with the most-est, and several other roles. Like dealer. Waitress. Bartender. Moderator. And such. Plus it's my job to see that you play by the rules.

Tonight each of you will be playing the role of a casino guest. Six of you of you will be given character profiles. Each profile details your character's personal information and your character's goals with specific instructions on how your character should respond to certain situations. Except for these instructions, do your best to act and react as you think your character would.

PASS OUT ROUND ONE BOOKLET & CASINO CASH

Before we start, take a couple of minutes to read the rules and to go over your character profiles. Don't show it to anyone else and be careful with what information you share. The Dark Secret information listed are things your character wants kept secret. Stop reading when you come to the stop.

GIVE THEM TIME TO READ PROFILES

Does anyone have any questions?
No more questions?
Let me once again welcome you to the Casino Revél. This is our main gaming room.

GIVE A VERBAL TOUR OF YOUR CASINO

Now it's time for introductions. You already know me, but I invite each of you to introduce yourself and tell us a little about you. Who shall go first?

HAVE PLAYERS INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.

A delightful group of players, you are. Well, I have a few important things to take care of while you mingle. Take full advantage of the complimentary drinks, food and games. I'll return shortly.

LEAVE THE ROOM.
TURN OFF THE LIGHTS.
ANGUISHED Male SCREAM FOLLOWED BY THUD
(can be recorded or performed live)
YOU RE-APPEAR WITH FLASHLIGHT AND DISCOVER DEAD BODY
(use live body or a prop under sheet)

Quick! Someone turn on the lights.

LIGHTS COME ON.

Oh no. It's Security Chief Edwards. He's been stabbed with a steak knife from the buffet.

CHECK VITALS 

He's dead and someone in this room has killed him.

REACH INTO HIS POCKET/ UNDER SHEET

What's this?

PULL OUT A WAD OF CASH - COUNT IT QUICKLY

$10,000. Obviously theft wasn't the motive.

Turn the page. It's time to read the Round One dialogue. Stop reading when you come to the stop.



GROUP READS DIALOGUE

ROUND 1 SCRIPT

Hana: It's Round 1 script time. Everyone ready? I'm glad I'm not a suspect. I don't have any secrets.

Sherlock: Nonsense. Everyone has secrets, including you. But that's not what's important at the moment. What is important is that we solve the crime before the police, followed by the press, arrive and muck up the evidence.

Sam: Who made you the expert? Trying to impress the ladies? Or just the press when they get here.

Sherlock: To successfully identify the murderer, it will be important to examine which of you had the motive, means, & opportunity to commit the crime.

Dean: Give it rest, Sherlock. We all had the opportunity. And the means was setting on the buffet table. I say we check the body for clues.

Hana: Wait a minute, as Casino owner I feel I should be the one to check the body. CHECKS BODY- FINDS CASH - COUNTS IT. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Ten thousand dollars in cash.

Dean: At least we can throw out theft as a motive.

River: And add blackmail.

The Doctor: I believe you are jumping to conclusions, young lady. This is a casino. He could have won the money. By the way . . . RAIN, have I met you before?

River: Spoilers. I think we should concentrate on problem at hand.

Watson: Let me see that money, I didn't think you American chaps had ten thousand dollar bills.

Sam: They used to print them, but not in years. I didn't think any were left in circulation. They look real to me. He must have got them from a collector.

The Doctor: From the looks of the young security man's shoes, he doesn't appear to the collecting type. Much too handsome. I think I will have to agree with the young woman. More likely he's a thief or extortionist

Watson: (to Hana) You're his boss. What kind of man was Mr. Edwards?

Hana: I'm sure I shouldn't say. I am just an observer here. But by way of summing up, I'd say you're making progress. I remind you to keep your speculations to yourself. But you have learned a few irrefutable facts.
1. Mr. Edwards was killed with a buffet steak knife.
2. He was carrying $10, 000 in cash on his person.
3. The money is no longer in circulation.
4. Mr. Edwards need a new pair of shoes.


ROUND 1 QUESTIONS
GUEST PARTICIPATE IN QUESTION ANSWER SEGMENT.
ONCE THE'RE FINISHED ANNOUNCE:

Let's take a break. The Casino awaits. Play a card game. Have a snack. Wet your whistle.

. . .  WHEN YOU ARE READY TO RESUME . . .

It's time to move on to the Round Two Dialogue.


ROUND 2 SCRIPT

Hana: That was a nice break. Now that you're refreshed, it's time to put those thinking caps back on. To be honest, I'm impressed with your deductive skills. I'd be more than a bit nervous if I were the guilty party.

Dean: Don't worry. You're not my style. But I've been thinking. You didn't really search the body after finding the cash. The corpse might be hiding another clue.

Sam: My brother's right. Like always. One day I'd like to see him make a mistake. Let me help. I'll search his pockets.

Sherlock: I detect a little sibling rivalry. Not that I'd trust him, Dean. I think your little brother might be bent on revenge and plant some evidence.

Sam: Shut up, Sherlock. No one asked you for your opinion.

Hana: Really, I must insist that nobody touches him. I don't want the Casino held liable.

Dean: Sherlock, you insult my brother. You insult me. When this is over . . .

The Doctor: There's no need for threats or violence. That's what got us into this mess. River? What did you find?

River: It's a list. It was in the security guard's pocket."

Sherlock: Give that to me. (HE READS THE LIST ALOUD) the motive for the murder is crystal clear. And this list points to the guilty party. It was . . .

Watson: Blackmail.

Sherlock: That was my line.

Watson: Give it up. I'm tired of your posturing, the great detective. You're not the only one with a brain.

River: It's a long list of indiscretions. I'm assumed Mr. Edwards had more than one benefactor.

The Doctor: I'm having second thoughts about my visit to this little world. I detest violence and it surrounds us like a black vapor cloud.

Hana: I'll take the note and hold it for the police. This ends the Round 2 dialogue. I'm not sure what we've learned in this round other that the evidence is strong that the handsome Chumley Edwards was a blackmailer. And, that all of you except for The Doctor are growing peevish.
    Take a minute and study your Round 2 questions . . . Who wants to start?

ROUND 2 QUESTIONS
GUESTS PARTICIPATE IN QUESTION ANSWER SEGMENT.
ONCE THE'RE FINISHED ANNOUNCE:

OPTIONAL BREAK… YOU MAY WANT TO GO DIRECTLY INTO ROUND THREE

Let's take a break. The Casino awaits. Play a card game. Have a snack. Wet your whistle.

. . .  WHEN YOU ARE READY TO RESUME . . .

It's time to move on to the Round Three Dialogue.


ROUND 3 SCRIPT

Hana: This is the final round. And, your last chance to discover the identity of the person behind this cunning and clever crime. It's time for Dialogue 3.

Dean: I'm curious, Sam. Why was Edwards blackmailing you?

Sam: It's none of your business, little brother. I'm even more curious what he had on you.

Dean: This isn't the time or the place.

Sherlock: I'd like to know the doctor's secret, myself. The rest of your petty secrets are appallingly transparent.

Watson: As usual Sherlock, you're the antithesis of tact. But like you, I didn't pay Edward's demands. The fact that I saved the life of my country's enemy is in my military records. It could be accessed by any decent hacker.

Dean: so you are a traitor?

Watson: Hardly. I took the Hippocratic oath. My job was to save lives during the war.

The Doctor: How ironic. You saved the lives of men who lived and went on to shoot lethal bullets in hearts of other men. Rather barbaric.

Sherlock: Hey! What's that sticking out from under the corpse's left hip?

Hana: Nothing. Just an odd piece of paper.

River: Let me see that.

Hana: I really don't think it's connected to the case.

River: READS THE LETTER Interesting. It seems our Mr. Edwards was up to more mischief than blackmail.

Dean: You can't blame a man for his love life. What I want to know is why Edwards was blackmailing you Sam.

Sam: Like you said, this isn't the place.
The Doctor: It won't be long before the police arrive. We need to get this sorted out before the Press get. Or our private lives will become part of their media circus.

Hana: Question time.


ROUND 3 QUESTIONS
GUEST PARTICIPATE IN QUESTION ANSWER SEGMENT.
ONCE THE'RE FINISHED ANNOUNCE:


Let's take a break while you review your notes. Using your best deductive skills, decide who you think killed Chumley Edwards.

Have a snack, get a drink. We'll resume in five minutes to make your  accusations  After which I will reveal what really happened.

BREAK

Gather round. It's time to make your accusations. Who wants to go first?

LET EACH PARTY MEMBER POINT THEIR FINGER AT THE MURDERER

So who has it right? NAME NAMES OF THOSE WHO CORRECTLY SOLVED THE CRIME. IF NONE,   SAY NONE.

The seeds of this crime go back three years when Chumley Edwards was first hired at the Casino Revél. At first things went well. He was and extemporary employee. But then Chumley discovered he had access to our patrons private lives. It wasn't long before he started a lucrative blackmailing operation. Suddenly he had money and that money gave him a sense of power. That power gave him confidence. The confidence gave him an aura of attraction. Suddenly women began throwing themselves at him. At first he was flattered, but then it became old. That's when he came to me for guidance. And then the most remarkable thing imaginable happened. We fell in love.

For two years, we kept are affair secret.

The next obvious step was marriage. I told Chumley. He laughed at me. Said he'd never loved me. Said he was making one last blackmail haul and was leaving me forever.

I couldn't let him leave.