Our 20th show.
Who Wants to Murder a
Millionaire?
Original public run dates: June - September 2000
“Who Wants to Murder a Millionaire?”
Putting a new meaning to the phrase
"Your Final Answer."
by Bert Furioli and Butch
Maxwell
Authors of the Elliot Brick shows, both "Slay Ride" shows, "DOA in
the Y2K" and "Happiness Is a Warm Gun."
The Cast of "Who Wants to Murder
a Millionaire?"
Front: Beasley (Gino Angelo),
Tom Bastic (Bert Furioli) Back, from left: Zoë Spatafore (Arlene
Merryman), Happy Barkerdale (Butch Maxwell) and Dr. Fanny Reamer (Dee
McCorkle.)
Yes, the eternal question “Is that your final answer?” takes on
deadly proportions as the Mystery Theatre of Wheeling presents an
all-new interactive murder mystery, “Who Wants to Murder a
Millionaire?” The musical-comedy mystery by local writers Bert
Furioli and Butch Maxwell is set during the live broadcast of a
popular game show.
Happy Barkerdale
(Butch
Maxwell) is the host of the popular show, which has become the
network’s anchor seven days a week. A millionaire in his own right,
Happy owns 50% of the show. He hopes to retire soon after the show
runs its course and he gets his chance to arm-wrestle Merv Griffin.
The show’s stage manager, Beasley
(Gino
Angelo), was once a chemistry professor, but quit suddenly after
he was denied tenure and all the other faculty members mysteriously
succumbed to food poisoning. He got into television production
because he wanted something less cutthroat. Imagine his surprise.
Among the contestants are a successful salesman Tom Bastic, homemaker Zoë Spatafore, and proctologist Dr. Fanny Reamer.
As the man behind mood rings and Beanie Babies, Tom Bastic (Bert
Furioli), should already be a millionaire, but
he lost it as soon as he made it. He is on the road so much, it took
him three months to discover his wife had left him.
Zoë Spatafore (Arlene Merryman), is unhappy in her
marriage and spends most of her time in a rich fantasy life. Married
her high school sweetheart, but has harbored a crush on Happy
Barkerdale ever since being in the studio audience during a taping of
“The Mating Game.”
Dr. Reamer (Dee McCorkle), has dedicated her life to
putting her gifts at one end to help others at their other ends. If
she wins the million dollars, she hopes to bail herself out of a bad
investment in a drive-through proctology service, Probe ‘n Run.
Understudy for this production:
Cheryl Saseen. Surprise understudy: Deborah Frazier (September 2000).
Mystery Theatre Unlimited
Phone: 304-242-7828
Last updated: January 3, 2005