Keeping adult friendships alive can be a challenge... especially when there’s a serial killer on the loose.
DEATH & TAXES tells the story of Lucy, a neurospicy accountant who’s forced to reassemble her fractured friend group to solve a murder in the neighbouring small town. To catch the killer, she'll first need to balance the books of a deeply messy relationship.
Demos for all musical numbers are available upon request.
Keywords: musical, comedy, satire, murder, mystery, true crime
Genre: Dark Comedy, Murder Mystery, Musical
Acts: 2
Run time: 116 minutes
Suitable for students 16+
Content notes: Contains mild language, references to murder
Cast size: 10 actors plus optional company
Male roles: 5
Female roles: 5
Casting Breakdown:
LUCY: Female, 35-40, Mezzo Sop. A reclusive tax accountant with a rare gift for numbers and patterns. Behind her guarded exterior she has an exuberant, playful energy for those who earn her trust. Former best friend to Aldo.
ALDO: Male, 35-40. Baritone. A chaotic, charismatic scamp who peaked in Grade 12. His yen for quick thrills yielded a life of impish adventures, bad life decisions, and burnt bridges. Former best friend to Lucy.
SHEPHERD: Female, 30-40. Mezzo Sop. A no-nonsense, hard-ass, lone wolf, big city police officer with plenty to prove.
CAL: Male, 35-40. Tenor. An endearing small-town cop who, prior to the recent murders, was happy resolving the odd noise complaint, experimenting with homemade kombucha, and reupholstering the office chairs.
EXTON: Male, 20s. Tenor with R&B/falsetto chops. A self-described “Man-Peacock Extrapanoor”, Exton is a minor celebrity influencer with an irritatingly ostentatious fashion sense and a penchant for malapropisms.
NEWSCASTER: Male, 35-55. Tenor. A polished Walter Cronkite type. Jack’s overblown sense of self-importance allows him to forget he was a part-time news anchor and weatherman only six months ago.
MELBA: Female, 35-55. Power Alto. The brassy owner of “ Melba’s Toast”, (and since Dotty DuTemple’s murder, the self-named President of the Barnabas Bay Business Betterment and Beautification Board). Melba suffers no fools.
BLANCHE: Female - 45-60. Character soprano. A dotty tax accountant who believes that bookkeeping is a creative art requiring panache and imagination.
MALCOLM: Male, 45-65. Baritone. The ornery owner of the Lakeview Hotel.
ROWAN: Female, 35-55. Alto. The local chiropractor who enjoys resetting slipped discs a little too much…
COMPANY: Townsfolk, Tourists, Hope, Lou, Etc.
If necessary, Cal can double as Exton.
Melba, Blanche, Malcolm, and Rowan can double as the COMPANY.
“A highly engaging, conceptually strong and sharply witty musical. Grippingly suspenseful and darkly comedic. Sure to delight audiences in a staged production.”
- COVERFLY
“Bold, fun, and exciting. [DEATH & TAXES] feels like a capital "M" musical. Aaron's spirit of adventure and playful storytelling are infectious and delightful. The subject matter is timely, the characters are relatable, and the songs stick with you. It feels like it would be right at home in a program normally occupied by a standard, time-tested musical."
- STEPHEN DROVER - New Works & Professional Engagement
Arts Club Theatre Co. Vancouver.
"DEATH & TAXES is a triple threat musical. it's got a hilarious script, a brilliant score and something touching to say about its leading characters. Win-win-win."
- RICHARD OUZOUNIAN - 15-year theatre critic of the Toronto Star