Murder, Melodrama and More!: Sugar High Theatricals

It's time to raise the boot again!

I've been very fortunate to have my plays produced across the country ever single year for the past decade, the culmination of a dream I've had ever since I first put pen to paper. As such, I started a tradition to salute both the theater groups and my good fortune for an as-yet unbroken annual streak.

The significance of a beer-filled boot is a tradition I started when my step-daughter Tracey bought me a souvenir boot mug when she and my granddaughter Kardena saw my show SONG OF THE CANYON KID at the Great American Melodrama Theater in Oceano, CA in 2014. Since then, whenever a show of mine goes on the boards, I fill the mug with a delicious, frothy and special selection beer of choice and toast the theater in question on their opening night. This time around, I raised the boot to the Resounding Performing Arts Group of Williamsport, PA for their production of my murder mystery comedy MURDER-THE FINAL FRONTIER. What made this even more significant was that it marked the second show of mine Resounding has produced, the first being DEAD TUESDAY just last year. They have now joined the Double Shot Club, theater groups that have staged more than one of my shows starting with the aforementioned Great American Melodrama, Sugar High Theatricals in Illinois, SanZman Productions in Los Angeles and the one that started it all, Mel O' Drama of Nashville.

Among the fine beverages I have enjoyed in this endeavor: Robust Porter from Reuben's Brews in Seattle, Bend, Oregon's Silver Moon Brewery's Catch and Release IPA, Cannonball NW Red Ale from Portland, Batsquatch Hazy IPA from Ashland's Rogue Brewery, Hubert MPA from Melvin Brewing in Alpine, WY and Brother Thelonius Belgian Style Abbey Ale from North Coast Brewing of Fort Bragg, CA. And believe me, there were many more ales and beers imbibed to celebrate the moments. I whole heartedly recommend each and every one of these.

Of course it's not about the beer, but the theater groups who have graciously decided to take a chance on an independent playwright like myself. I am humbled and extremely grateful to each and every one of the fine theater companies and groups that have produced my work over the past decade. It's been a great ride and I look forward, as I always do, to the next when the boot gets re-filled and I proudly raise that boot high in the air once again.

Cheers to you!

Now hold my beer.

MURDER-THE FINAL FRONTIER is available from OFF THE WALL PLAYS. Please visit them for a free script preview as well as information of production rights.

And don't forget my website WRITTEN BY SCOTT CHERNEY for more info on everything else. Except beer.

Happy anniversary, Francois!

2024 marks the 10th anniversary of my first interactive murder mystery play that was commissioned by producer Melanie Roady for her theater, Mel O' Drama Theater, in Nashville, TN. Based on characters created by artist Jann Harrison, the subsequent play was entitled THE PERILS OF FRANCOIS. Since then, it has gone under a title change for marketing purposes and is now called DEAD TUESDAY, as suggested by another producer, Jerri Wiseman of the StageCoach Theatre Company in Virginia for its second production.

Since that time, DEAD TUESDAY, the little show that could, has been produced by several companies across the country and is gearing up for two new shows for 2024.

The first, on February 17, is being staged by Resounding Performing Arts in Williamsport, PA, just after Mardi Gras in New Orleans' where DEAD TUESDAY is set.

Then, my buddy Roscoe III of San Luis Valley Theatre Company tackles the Francois Fibian saga for two nights in May in Alamosa, CO. Roscoe previously produced my other murder mystery, MURDER: THE FINAL FRONTIER not once, but twice (!) in 2017 and 2021.

Previous productions of DEAD TUESDAY by these fantastic theater groups:

2014: MEL O'DRAMA THEATER NASHVILLE, TN