Who Killed Prince Terrance?                

Characters           

                  Princess Clementine: the twin sister to Prince Terrence. 15 years old.

      The investigator: a 47-year-old man

                  The magician (Bob): a 28-year-old man

                  The maid: a 67-year-old women

      The cook (Chris): a 52-year-old man

[A young prince was found murdered on a gloomy Sunday in the kingdom of Epcot. There are 2 main suspects that were in the castle at the time of his death. The investigator, princess Clementine, and the maid all interrogate the suspects. They are in a study room and are sitting behind a desk. All of the suspects enter and exit from stage right.]

INVESTIGATOR: 

(placing his hands on the brown desk).

Give me a rundown of everything that has happened this morning 

CLEMENTINE: 

(crying) 

My day started normally. I woke up, got dressed, and ate breakfast with Terrance. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. He was acting completely normal. I was reading a book as the maid ran into my bedroom and-.

MAID: 

(Has a Scottish accent. Grabs her chest and out of breath)

I found Prince Terrance dead on his bed with a knife sticking through his chest. I ran straight to Princess Clementine's room and informed her of the news.

[Princess Clementine sniffles in the back and wipes her eyes with her light pink dress. Her blonde curled hair lays on her shoulders and she twists it as she listens to the maid.]

INVESTIGATOR: 

Did you see anyone in the room or anything that didn’t belong to Prince Terrence? Something that could have belonged to the murderer?

MAID:

  (grabs her apron and wipes her nose) 

No, everything seemed normal. He had books laying on the floor and clothes on his bed. He was a young boy, he was messy.

[Clementine tilts her head and raises one eyebrow.]

CLEMENTINE: 

Terrance was not messy, he’s the most proper person that I know. He was the one who taught me how to organize my bookshelf, that doesn’t sound like him. He would never have left those things laid out.

MAID: 

(Itches her nose) 

Maybe he was cleaning his room when he was killed.

[Clementine flinches at the maid's words.]

INVESTIGATOR: 

So he wasn’t acting like himself? Did you notice any out-of-the-ordinary behaviors from Terrace in the last week?

MAID: 

Well, he did seem a bit-.

CLEMENTINE: 

No, nothing out of the ordinary. He was always his happy self. I could have never predicted this to happen. Everyone loves Terrance, he would never hurt a soul.

MAID: 

Maybe he was feeling hurt inside. Do you think this could have been a suicide?

CLEMENTINE: 

Absolutely not! Terrance loved his life, he was a bright soul. Maid, you knew him, how could you even suggest that this could be a suicide?

[The maid itches her nose again and smooths out her apron.]

MAID: 

You’re right princess, I don’t know what I was thinking.

[The maid looks down at her shoes. The maid, Clementine, and the investigator sit in silence before calling in the first suspect.]

INVESTIGATOR: 

Bring in the first suspect!

  [The cook walks in from stage right. He’s wearing a blue button-down shirt with gray pants and an apron to go over. He’s wearing his chef's hat and has baking powder on his cheek. He takes center stage.]

CLEMENTINE: 

Hello Chris. We are going to ask you a few questions. You need to be completely honest with us. Do you understand?

COOK: 

(crying) 

I understand. 

[He wipes his eyes with his apron.]

INVESTIGATOR: 

Where were you at approximately 12:47 pm?

COOK: 

I was going to grill burgers because Prince Terrance requested them. I walked outside to start up the grill, but it was pouring. I went to inform Prince Terrance that I wouldn’t be able to grill today. When I was walking to his room, I heard screams and saw the maid running down the hallway.

INVESTIGATOR: 

Maid, what were you doing in Terrance’s bedroom?

MAID: 

I already told you, I was the one that found him dead.

[Clementine tilted her head.]

MAID:

  (face red) 

Are you trying to make me seem like it was me!

 [She slams her left hand on the desk and points at the cook with her right hand.]

COOK: 

No, ma’am, they told me to tell the truth so I am just explaining what I saw. 

[He put his hands up as if the police had said “hands up”.].

INVESTIGATOR:

 Why did Prince Terrance ask you to grill burgers? 

COOK:

Prince Terrance and I were extremely close. I taught him how to make many dishes and we spent many hours a day talking about food that we wanted to make together. Terrance asked if I could make burgers because they are his favorite, and I obviously accepted.

INVESTIGATOR: 

(Lifting one eyebrow).

You and Prince Terrance were close? 

COOK: 

(smiles)

Yes.

INVESTIGATOR:

 Is this true Clementine?

CLEMENTINE:

 Oh yes, they were very close. When mother and father weren’t around, Terrance always requested Chris to watch over us.

[One single teardrop fell from the cook's left eye.]

INVESTIGATOR: 

Clementine, do you think the cook killed your brother?

CLEMENTINE: 

No, I don’t think it was Chris. He is a good man and has always been very helpful around the castle. I have no doubt letting him go, the cook would never do such a thing.

INVESTIGATOR:

Why are we interviewing Chris if you don’t think it was him?

CLEMENTINE:

He was in the castle at the time of Terrance’s death. I want to get all of the information I can. This is like a puzzle, every bit of information is another piece that goes into place.

MAID: 

I don’t think you should let him off the hook so easily. We have barely even asked him questions.

INVESTIGATOR: 

Ma’am, no disrespect, but you asked if you could help interrogate people. Clementine agreed because you were the one that found the body, so maybe you had some extra information. You are not helping at all, in fact, you are making my job a lot harder. So please, just sit and let me and Clementine do the talking.

[The maid looks towards Clementine for some help. She itches her nose and then slumps back into her chair behind the desk rolling her eyes. The cook exits stage right.]

INVESTIGATOR: 

Next suspect!

[A scrawny man walks in from stage right. He’s wearing a black top with a black suit and a red tie. His hair is dark brown and he has a pair of circular glasses on.]

MAGICIAN:

(wipes his forehead as if sweat were there).

 Hello.

INVESTIGATOR 

Are you nervous?

MAGICIAN: 

(out of breath) 

No! Does it seem like I’m nervous? 

[The magician laughs. The Investigator clicks his pen and looks at Clementine.]

INVESTIGATOR:

Why are you laughing? This is incredibly disrespectful to Clementine:

MAGICIAN:

I- I’m a little nervous. I’m not trying to be disrespectful in any way.

CLEMENTINE: 

Bob, it’s okay. I need you to take a few deep breaths. 

[The magician breaths in and out 2 times]

CLEMENTINE: 

Are you ready to answer a few questions?

[The magician nods his head in agreement.]

INVESTIGATOR: 

Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?

MAGICIAN: 

Yes.

INVESTIGATOR: 

Where were you at approximately 12:47 pm today?

MAGICIAN: 

(takes a deep breath) 

I was in the theater practicing a new magic trick. I’ve been trying to get this new trick right. I have a deck of cards and I have to-.

CLEMENTINE: 

Bob, you're getting off-topic. This is what my brother was talking about, I need to know who killed him.

MAGICIAN: 

You're right, I’m so sorry. I was practicing a new trick when I heard screaming coming from Prince Terrance's room.

MAID: 

We already went over this. We know I was screaming. It was very scary for me to see his body.

MAGICIAN: 

It wasn’t your screaming, it was his.

INVESTIGATOR: 

Maid, did you hear his screams before you found him?

MAID:

 No, I was going to clean his room. Then I found him lying on the floor with a knife through his chest.

[Clementine flinches as the picture is described]

INVESTIGATOR:

So you expect me to believe that you found his body and never heard his screams?

MAID:

(Brings her knuckle up to her lips)

I wasn’t going into his room expecting to find his lifeless body. I was going to do my job. Do you have a problem with that?

INVESTIGATOR:

Something doesn’t make sense here.

MAID:

I want to know why Bob heard Prince Terrance's screams and didn’t go to check on him.

MAGICIAN:

That's the weird part, I did. I went into his room after I heard the scream and he wasn’t there.  

INVESTIGATOR:

So someone killed Terrance, took his body, and then replaced it back.

CLEMENTINE:

(raises her eyebrow)

Maid, where were you before you found Terrance’s body?

MAID:

I was outside cleaning the pool and-.

CLEMENTINE:

It was you.

MAID:

What?

CLEMENTINE:

(takes center stage)

I had a feeling it was you. You were acting so suspicious. You were questioning everyone's answers because you were trying to cover up your tracks.

MAID:

Clementine, you know me, you know I would never hurt a soul, especially not the Prince of Epcot.

CLEMENTINE:

At first, everything wasn’t adding up. I didn’t understand how you came into play. You don’t clean our rooms until 6:00 pm. There would be no reason for you to be in there that early.  Now I understand.

INVESTIGATOR:

I don’t understand why you didn’t express your concerns about the maid earlier.

CLEMENTINE:

I didn’t think it was her at first, the thought didn’t even cross my mind, not until we started questioning the suspects. Bad move maid, you should have just stayed out. I probably wouldn’t have figured you out.

INVESTIGATOR:

I’m not following.

CLEMENTINE: 

Maid said that she was outside cleaning the pool. It was raining this morning. She wouldn’t be cleaning the pool in the rain. She was the one who killed my beloved brother. She stabbed a knife straight through his heart. Then hid his body until she felt the time was right to “find his body.” You knew someone would hear his screams so you hid his body in case anyone came in to check on him.

MAID:

Clementine, you have this all wrong.

CLEMENTINE:

No, I don’t. You were smart about this, but so am I. You’ve itched your nose more times than I could count, I knew you were lying from the start. I just wanted you to have a hiccup in your story, and you did. Every single conclusion I can think of in my head leads back to you. You are the only one who has a key to all of our bedrooms.

[gasps fill the stage]

MAID:

(breaks down into tears. She clasps her hands like she is praying and kneels down to Clementine.)

I did it for you. He was next in line for the throne and I knew you had been dreaming of that position since you were a child. I want you to have everything in this world.

CLEMENTINE:

(crying)

Of course, I wanted the throne, but I would never have cheated to get it. My brother was more deserving and capable of it than I. You had no right to take the life of someone. You killed my brother! He was my best friend, he was my person! The only person I could count on. How could you do such a thing? You have raised Terrance and me! You have provided us with so much love and so much dedication, how could you do this! 

MAID:

(breaks down crying. Her head is in her hands)

I thought I was doing you a favor. I never connected to that boy as I did to you. You always told me that I was your best friend. I just want you to get everything that you want.

CLEMENTINE:

(sobbing)

Don’t you dare say that you did this for me! This had nothing to do with me, this was all your choice. You choose to be a murderer. You chose to kill the sweetest soul in the world. You are a despicable person who doesn’t deserve to see the light of day!

MAID:

Clementine, my sweet little girl I-.

CLEMENTINE:

Don’t you dare call me that! I am not your little girl. You are not my mother, you never were and you never will be. 

MAID:

I am your mother! I raised you. When no one was there for you, I was. When you and your brother were in a fight, I took your side. I have been more like a mother to you than anyone could ever be. You will not speak to me like this!

CLEMENTINE:

(shouting)

Speak to you like this? You killed my brother! You are a murderer. You are the reason that he won’t make it to the sophomore year! You are the reason he won’t get married and have kids! You are the reason that I don’t have a twin anymore. I will never get to blow out the birthday candles with him again because he won’t be there! You have no right to tell me how I can speak to you! You are the devil!

[Clementine points her finger at the maid and the room goes silent. The investigator slowly and subtly picks up the phone on the desk. Clementine and the maid are having a stare-down. Both have tears streaming down their faces.]

INVESTIGATOR:

Guys, we got 'em. We got the killer.

[The maid slaps the phone out of the investigator's hand.]

MAID:

Don’t you dare call someone on me! I have done nothing wrong! I have only helped the princess.

INVESTIGATOR:

You also killed the prince.

MAID:

You have no proof that it was me! You only have your words, which isn’t enough to prove that I’m guilty. I am going to deny that this had anything to do with me. I found his body and that’s it!

CLEMENTINE:

Who’s word do you think they are going to believe? The Princess of Epcot or a silly old maid.

[Sirens call from outside the castle.]

MAID:

No! 

[The maid starts to run towards stage right but the investigator grabs her arms before she can make it out of the door. Footsteps run down the hallways and into the room. A man wearing all black with blond hair and a blonde mustache runs through from stage right.]

MAID:

(screaming)

Get off of me!

[The maid is kicking, screaming, and scratching the investigator but he doesn’t loosen his grip.]

CLEMENTINE:

You said you would do anything for me, Is that still true?

MAID:

Yes. I would do anything for you.

CLEMENTINE:

I need you to go with this man. You need to be punished for what you have done.

[The maid stops fighting. The investigator walks her over to the man and he grabs her other arm, digging his fingers into her skin.]

MAID:

This is what a mother would do. She would do anything for her child, which is why I’m doing this for you. Are you sure that this is what you really want?

CLEMENTINE:

I’ve never wanted anything more in my entire life.

MAID:

As you wish.

[The blonde man takes the maid and they enter off stage right. Clementine collapses onto the floor. The magician runs over to her and pats her head.]

MAGICIAN:

It’s all over now. She’s gone.