The Butler Did It!

Published by Pioneer Drama Service. Over 190 productions since 2013.

When it comes to solving murder mysteries, it’s always the one you least suspect!

The very proper butler Jenkins and the fiery Cockney maid Sarah Jane are preparing the Covington household for a visit from Edwina Corry, the world’s greatest mystery author and friend to Lady Miranda and Colonel Covington. Other guests arriving include Lady...

Published by Pioneer Drama Service. Over 190 productions since 2013.

When it comes to solving murder mysteries, it’s always the one you least suspect!

The very proper butler Jenkins and the fiery Cockney maid Sarah Jane are preparing the Covington household for a visit from Edwina Corry, the world’s greatest mystery author and friend to Lady Miranda and Colonel Covington. Other guests arriving include Lady Covington’s feisty old mother, their high-flying daughter Kat, their chatty priest who doesn’t know when to quit and the caddish, eavesdropping neighbor boy Trevor.

Things are soon thrown into confusion, however, when Trevor is found stabbed to death in the kitchen. On her arrival, Edwina eagerly launches an investigation into the murder. Unfortunately, the evidence is stacked against poor Jenkins from the start, and when the bloody knife is found in his pocket, the other members of the household tie him to a chair and call the police.

The only problem? Jenkins didn’t do it. And now he’s got just half an hour to figure out who the real murderer is—while still tied to the chair.

Run Time: 90-100 minutes

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The Butler Did It!

Cast of 9 (4M, 5F).


CAST OF CHARACTERS (# of lines)

JENKINS, butler; unusually clever though he would be the last to admit it (331)

SARAH JANE, Cockney maid; uneducated; always seems about to unravel (98)

TREVOR BARSTOW, heir to the adjacent estate; arrogant chap and all-around cad (56)

GRAM, feisty and quite possible deranged mother of Lady Miranda; rarely seen without her rifle (15)

COLONEL NIGEL COVINGTON, retired British Army colonel and master of Bournsley Manor; vain but harmless blowhard (219)

LADY MIRANDA COVINGTON, wife of the colonel; rather sickly; class-conscious to the extreme (75)

KAT COVINGTON, aspriring aviatrix and only child of the Covingtons; quite prickly (144)

FATHER TIMOTHY, vicar of the local parish and Edwina's biggest fan; never knows when to shut up (161)

EDWINA CORRY, world's greatest mystery author and old school chum of Lady Miranda; brusque, assertive and intimidating (141)

Development History

  • Type Reading, Organization Drama Lab, Colorado Springs, CO, Year 2012
  • Type Reading, Organization Cheyenne Little Theatre Players, Cheyenne, WY, Year 2012

Production History

  • Type Community Theater, Organization Fishing Creek Players, Benton, PA, Year 2025
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Milford Christian Church, Milford, IL, Year 2025
  • Type High School, Organization Juniata Christian School, Vassar, MI, Year 2025
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Admiral's Players, Portsmouth, UK, Year 2024
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Curtain Call Playhouse, Pompano Beach, FL, Year 2024
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Fourth Street Theater, Tuttle, OK, Year 2024
  • Type High School, Organization Plain Dealing High School, Plain Dealing, LA, Year 2024
  • Type High School, Organization Sacred Heart Catholic School, Morrilton, AR, Year 2024
  • Type High School, Organization Yates Center Senior High School, Yates Center, KS, Year 2024
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Harbor Stage Theatre Company, Lacey, NJ, Year 2023
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Northern Spotlight Theater, Superior, WI, Year 2023
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Theatre 8, Geraldton, Australia, Year 2023
  • Type High School, Organization Algoma Christian School, Kent City, MI, Year 2023
  • Type High School, Organization Marbury High School, Deatsville, AL, Year 2023
  • Type High School, Organization Warwick Valley High School, Warwick, NY, Year 2023
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Athens Community Theater, Athens, MI, Year 2022
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Clear Lake Community Theatre, Clear Lake, WI, Year 2022
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Historic Fayette Theatre, Fayetteville, WV, Year 2022
  • Type High School, Organization Etna High School, Etna, CA, Year 2022
  • Type High School, Organization South Valley Junior High, Gilbert, AZ, Year 2022
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Fort Stockton Community Theatre, Fort Stockton, TX, Year 2021
  • Type High School, Organization East Moline Christian School, East Moline, IL, Year 2021
  • Type High School, Organization Marbury High School, Deatsville, AL, Year 2021
  • Type High School, Organization Reston School, Reston, MB, Canada, Year 2021
  • Type High School, Organization Wanatah Public School, Wanatah, IN, Year 2021
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Delton Amateur Community Theatre, Delton, MI, Year 2020
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Endeavour Theatre Company, Kallaroo, Western Australia, Australia, Year 2020
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Waycross Area Community Theatre, Waycross, GA, Year 2020
  • Type High School, Organization Homeschool, Bowling Green, OH, Year 2020
  • Type High School, Organization Valley Falls High School, Valley Falls, KS, Year 2020
  • Type High School, Organization Wayne City High School, Wayne City, IL, Year 2020
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Gateway Players Theatre, Southbridge, MA, Year 2019
  • Type Community Theater, Organization St. Claire Shores Players, St. Claire Shores, MI, Year 2019
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Upstage Players, Upsala, MN, Year 2019
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Upstage Players, Upsala, MN, Year 2019
  • Type High School, Organization Henninger High School, Syracuse, NY, Year 2019
  • Type High School, Organization Las Animas High School, Las Animas, CO, Year 2019
  • Type High School, Organization St. Michael the Archangel High School, Fredericksburg, VA, Year 2019
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Evergreen Players, Evergreen, CO, Year 2018
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Rivertown Players, Lawrenceburg, IN, Year 2018
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Russell County Arts Council, Russell Springs, KY, Year 2018
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Sunriver Stars Community Theater, Sunriver, OR, Year 2018
  • Type High School, Organization Burlington High School, Burlington, CO, Year 2018
  • Type High School, Organization Central Alberta Christian High School, Lacombe, Alberta, Canada, Year 2018
  • Type High School, Organization Saint Thomas Aquinas High School, Kenora, ON, Canada, Year 2018
  • Type High School, Organization Whitehorse High School, Montezuma Creek, UT, Year 2018
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Bangor Abbey Players, Bangor, UK, Year 2017
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Grist Mill Fine Arts Council, Macedonia, IA, Year 2017
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Theatre 8, Geraldton, WA, Australia, Year 2017
  • Type High School, Organization Bluffton High School, Bluffton, IN, Year 2017
  • Type High School, Organization California School for the Deaf, Riverside, CA, Year 2017
  • Type High School, Organization Lancaster Baptist School, Lancaster, CA, Year 2017
  • Type High School, Organization Success Unlimited Academy, Montgomery, AL, Year 2017
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Aspirations Players, Muscat, Oman, Year 2016
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Bell Road Barn Players, Parkville, MO, Year 2016
  • Type Community Theater, Organization First United Methodist Church, Atlantic, IA, Year 2016
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Halton Amateur Theatrical Society, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, UK, Year 2016
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Rose Valley Community Players, Rose Valley, SK, Canada, Year 2016
  • Type High School, Organization California Military Institute School, Perris, CA, Year 2016
  • Type High School, Organization Miller Grove High School, Lithonia, GA, Year 2016
  • Type High School, Organization Monroe Middle School, Monroe, NC, Year 2016
  • Type University, Organization Florence-Darlington Technical College, Florence, SC, Year 2016
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Johnston Heights Church, Surrey, BC, Canada, Year 2015
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Mukwonago Village Players, East Troy, WI, Year 2015
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Stage Presence Players, Austin, TX, Year 2015
  • Type High School, Organization Kansas City Christian School, Prairie Village, KS, Year 2015
  • Type High School, Organization Kingsley School, Bideford, Devon, England, Year 2015
  • Type High School, Organization Laramie High School, Laramie, WY, Year 2015
  • Type High School, Organization Vermilion Catholic High School, Abbeville, LA, Year 2015
  • Type University, Organization Milwaukee School of Engineering, Milwaukee, WI, Year 2015
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Center for the Arts, Manassas, VA, Year 2014
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Cowra Musical & Dramatic Society, Cowra, NSW, Australia, Year 2014
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Cumberland Arts Center, Clarksville, TN, Year 2014
  • Type High School, Organization International Christian School, Pyeongtaek, South Korea, Year 2014
  • Type High School, Organization Lakewood High School, Arlington, WA, Year 2014
  • Type High School, Organization Logan-Magnolia High School, Logan, IA, Year 2014
  • Type Professional, Organization Cabaret Dinner Theatre, Shreveport, LA, Year 2014
  • Type University, Organization Dowling College, Oakdale, NY, Year 2014
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Eureka Community Players, Eureka, MT (World Premiere), Year 2013
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Nuremburg Community Players, Nuremburg, PA, Year 2013
  • Type High School, Organization Senath-Hornersville High School, Senath, MO, Year 2013
  • Type High School, Organization South Callaway High School, Mokane, MO, Year 2013

Awards

  • Cheyenne Little Theatre Players New Play Project
    Winner
    2012