Murder in Outer Space
In space, everyone can hear you accuse each other.
- Single set
- Full length, two acts
- Dinner-theatre ready
Sci-fi goofiness with bathroom humor, a workplace romance, and flashing emergency lights. Language and some references can be adjusted. Read the full content guide.
The sample includes the full cast list, staging notes, and the entire first act.
The story
During an interstellar trip, the crew of a passenger space vessel encounters more than they signed up for: aliens, meteors, and, somewhere between the drinks service and the emergency drill, a murder.
A no-nonsense captain, a stressed-out second in command, a nerdy tech, an android, an alien medical officer, a ship's computer with opinions about love, and a head of marketing, sales, and… safety. The audience are passengers just thawed from cryosleep, and optional PA announcements keep them in the world.
This is ridiculous. I can't be pregnant, I'm a man.
The characters
- Captain Jenkins F, 30 to 60The ship's captain: stern, commanding, and no-nonsense.
- Xavier Pendable M, 20 to 40Second in command. Lacks polish and shows stress under pressure.
- Dexter M, 20 to 40The ship's tech-maintenance guy: thick glasses, nerdy voice.
- Ava F, 20 to 40The voice of the ship's computer interface.
- Haley M, 20 to 40An android crew member.
- Aurora F, 20 to 40Chief medical officer, and a member of a different alien race.
- Officer Riley Any gender, 20 to 60Head of marketing, sales, and… safety. Can be creepy at times.
Production at a glance
| Cast | 7 actors3 male3 female1 any genderAva, the ship's computer, is a voice role that can be performed offstage. |
|---|---|
| Set | Single spacecraft interior, easily suggested rather than fully built. |
| Costumes | Stylized sci-fi uniforms, an android, and an alien, adaptable to budget. |
| Best for | Community and college theatres, and conventions with a sci-fi streak. |
What's in the script
- Optional prerecorded PA announcements for pre-show and intermission (scripts included)
- Ambient spaceship sound suggestions for the house
- Originally staged as dinner theatre, and adaptable to a traditional stage
- Optional in-character mingling before the show and at intermission
- Intermission guessing game: audiences submit their suspect for a prize drawing
Content guide
Sci-fi goofiness with bathroom humor, a workplace romance, and flashing emergency lights. Written for adult audiences and not suitable for children's, youth, or school productions. This guide is spoiler-free.
Adjustable. Language and some references can be adjusted for your audience. Ask before you license and Josh will tell you what's possible.
| Category | Level | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Level: Light | Some "damn" and "hell," with occasional "ass," "b*tch," and one "sh*t." No F-words. |
| Suggestive humor | Level: Light | A secret workplace romance, a reference to seeing someone naked, and a running gag about a man's pregnancy. |
| Comedic violence | Level: Light | An electrocution death with flickering lights, plus alien peril. |
| Drinking & substances | Level: Light | Passing mentions only. |
| Bathroom humor | Level: Light | An optional prerecorded bathroom gag (urination, fart, and flush sounds), toilet jokes, and puking. |
| Lights & sound | Heads-up | Red emergency lights, flashing, sirens, and flickering lights. |
| Audience interaction | Heads-up | PA announcements address the audience as passengers; optional pre-show mingling. |