This site has limited support for your browser. We recommend switching to Edge, Chrome, Safari, or Firefox.

Not sure where to start? Discover all our scripts

Talk to one of our experts here

Thank you for purchasing with Stagescripts

Shopping basket 0

Sorry, looks like we don't have enough of this product.

Products

Need help? Contact our team here

Pair with
Subtotal Free
Shipping, taxes, and discount codes are calculated at checkout
  • American Express
  • Apple Pay
  • Diners Club
  • Discover
  • Google Pay
  • Maestro
  • Mastercard
  • Shop Pay
  • Union Pay
  • Visa

School For Murder

Bettine Manktelow

Genre: Thriller/Mystery

Cast size: 6

Duration: Two Act

Bettine Monktelow | Thriller/Mystery | Full-length | 1m, 5f

Short synopsis

The scene is a lonely guest house in the Cotswolds where some aspiring writers gather for a course in writing a murder mystery. Their quest for fiction turns into fact when not only is there a mysterious disappearance but also an apparent murder. The phones are down, the lights are out, and a stranger is threatening the landlady. Is this really happening, or is it part of the course?

An isolated house in the Cotswolds is the scene where the lady owner, Sandra Maitland, takes in paying guests. She has organised a Writers’ Seminar for aspiring crime writers for which four ladies have applied. 

DJ Burrows, an established writer, is the tutor and all is set for a creative week, but Sandra has a problem. She is receiving threatening phone calls from an unknown source and her daughter has disappeared from her boarding school.

Her troubles do not end there when one of her guests disappears and another one appears to be murdered.  It takes some detective work behind the scenes before the villain is unmasked and the writers can continue with their seminar.

This comedy-thriller has good acting parts for five women and one man, plus a walk-on part at the end.

(1m, 5f)

  • Sandra Maitland - 40-50, smart, sophisticated lady, efficient but with a worried air
  • Amanda Elliott - 40-50, rather dim but good-natured, tries to please everybody
  • Delia Doubtfire - 20’s, attractive, smartly dressed, self-opinionated and condescending
  • Maggie Myers - 50's, hearty, ‘jolly-hockey-sticks’ type, takes the initiative
  • DJ Bowers - 40, a transvestite, likes to wear a dress but behaves like a man, completely masculine in behaviour and attitude
  • Lottie Lambert - 30-40, eccentric lady, bizarrely dressed, very pleasant but a bit weird

and, in addition…

  • The Stranger - a masked man (small, non-speaking part)
Free

Applying for and paying royalties

To apply for royalties, please complete the form on our apply for royalties page.

To pay for fixed fee royalties having received your Quotation from us, please go to this payment form.

[{"variant_id":"55511818174850" , "metafield_value":""},{"variant_id":"55511818240386" , "metafield_value":""},{"variant_id":"55511818273154" , "metafield_value":""},{"variant_id":"55511818338690" , "metafield_value":""}]

School For Murder

Free
More information

If you require any additional information regarding this script, please don’t hesitate to contact us here.

Frequently asked questions

Can we try before we buy?

Of course! All our plays and pantomimes have a free Preview Script available for download as an A4 pdf file that contains 60-75% of the full script. If you like what you read then you can buy an inexpensive e-script of the entire play (typically less than half the cost of a traditional printed script) which is licensed to you for your personal use. Purchasing a script copying licence allows you to make just enough copies to support rehearsals and performances.

All our musicals are included in our perusal service. Through this, representatives of producing organisations can request a USB Stick of perusal material  which comprise the script/libretto and piano/vocal score as PDF files; a Cast (or Studio) Recording as MP3 files and (where available) an MP4 file video of either the premiere production or of a subsequent production.

Some titles have the facility to read the entire script online on our website.

Do we need a Licence To Perform?

The simple answer is, yes.

Under the international laws of copyright, you must be in possession of a valid, unexpired licence before performing any piece of theatre unless the owner or managers of the copyright has waived their rights.

Why do you insist on providing a formal royalties quotation?

When you request a quotation, it is logged in our system, it forms part of an orderly queue and protects your place in that queue should multiple licensing requests occur for the same show.

Need help?

Contact us

If you need help with our scripts, please contact our customer service team, we would be more than happy to help.

Customer Reviews

Be the first to write a review
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)

Established for over 25 years

Unearthing future talent


Stagescripts is a trusted licensing company run by theatre professionals with decades of experience on and off stage. Our curated catalogue includes over 1,000 carefully selected plays, musicals, and pantomimes — from fresh, undiscovered writing to well-loved classics.

We’re passionate about helping theatre-makers at every level discover scripts that inspire, challenge, and connect with audiences. Whether you're staging a village hall production or leading a professional company, our team offers expert advice, flexible support, and a responsive, personal service to help your next performance shine.