Write Me a Murder

Write Me a Murder
Write Me a Murder
Written by	Frederick Knott
Date premiered	26 October 1961
Place premiered	Belasco Theatre, New York City
Original language	English

Write Me a Murder is a mystery play in three acts by Frederick Knott, which premiered on Broadway at the Belasco Theatre on October 26, 1961, presented by the Compass Productions, Inc.,^[3] directed by George Schaefer,^[4] stage design by Warren Clymer, costume design by Noel Taylor.^[5] It ran for 196 performances, closing on April 14, 1962 at the Belasco Theatre.^[6]

Plot

The play tells the story of the brothers Clive and David Rodingham, who inherit the family fortune upon the death of their father. They then meet business man Charles and his wife Julie, a would-be thriller writer. Charles is anxious to work with the brothers on property deals, and so encourages David, who is also a writer, to co-write a murder story with Julie. It isn’t long before the two concoct the perfect crime, which twisted into a reality.

Original production

Write Me a Murder opened at the Belasco Theater on October 24, 1961, and it ran for 196 performances.

Original Cast

James Donald as The Hon. David Rodingham
Denholm Elliott as The Hon. Clive Rodingham
Kim Hunter as Julie Sturrock
Ethel Griffies as Dr. Elizabeth Woolley
Torin Thatcher as Charles Sturrock
Robert Milli as Mr. Tibbit
Herbert Voland as Constable Hackett

Awards

Knott was awarded an Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Play from the Mystery Writers of America. He had won an earlier Edgar Award in this same category for Dial M for Murder.

References

^ Robert Cross (17 April 2004). Steven Berkoff and the Theatre of Self-Performance. Manchester University Press. pp. 57–. ISBN 978-0-7190-6254-4.
^ Frederick Knott (October 1962). Write Me a Murder. Dramatists Play Service Inc. pp. 3–. ISBN 978-0-8222-1279-9.
^ World Premières: technical data. 1900. pp. 1–.
^ Director the Institute for the Arts and Humanities Stanley Weintraub; Stanley Weintraub (1998). Shaw and Other Matters: A Festschrift for Stanley Weintraub on the Occasion of His Forty-second Anniversary at the Pennsylvania State University. Susquehanna University Press. ISBN 978-1-57591-008-6.
^ Daniel Blum's Theatre World. Crown Publishers. 1961.
^ "Write Me a Murder – Broadway Play – Original". Internet Broadway Database.

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[Cross2004-1] Robert Cross (17 April 2004). Steven Berkoff and the Theatre of Self-Performance. Manchester University Press. pp. 57–. ISBN 978-0-7190-6254-4.

[Knott1962-2] Frederick Knott (October 1962). Write Me a Murder. Dramatists Play Service Inc. pp. 3–. ISBN 978-0-8222-1279-9.

[3] World Premières: technical data. 1900. pp. 1–.

[WeintraubWeintraub1998-4] Director the Institute for the Arts and Humanities Stanley Weintraub; Stanley Weintraub (1998). Shaw and Other Matters: A Festschrift for Stanley Weintraub on the Occasion of His Forty-second Anniversary at the Pennsylvania State University. Susquehanna University Press. ISBN 978-1-57591-008-6.

[5] Daniel Blum's Theatre World. Crown Publishers. 1961.

[6] "Write Me a Murder – Broadway Play – Original". Internet Broadway Database.

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