Prime Stage Mystery Theatre

Written and performed by Lawrence C. Connolly. Mystery Theatre is an interactive fiction podcast where you are part of the story. In each five-episode series, you join a master sleuth and a cast of eccentric thespians as they attempt to solve a series of puzzles in a theatre where few things are as they seem. Test your wits. Follow the clues. See if you can solve each mystery before the solution is revealed.

The Ælf in the Wardrobe - Act 5 06/19/2024

The Ælf in the Wardrobe - Act 5 Can a key open a door without a keyhole? And if it does, what new surprise might be waiting inside? Get ready for some unexpected possibilities when the dragon-headed doors swing wide to release the ælf in the wardrobe. This episode was first released on March 30, 2023, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31815307

The Ælf in the Wardrobe - Act 4 06/19/2024

The Ælf in the Wardrobe - Act 4 If you are going to communicate with a medieval ælf, you will need to speak its language. Today's episode features an interview with Old English scholar Dr. Patrick Conner (read a transcript by clicking ) and some surprising revelations that tie in with our previous mystery "In the Ghostlight's Glow." Get ready for some big reveals ... and some important clues that may be hiding in plain sight. This episode was first released on March 23, 2023, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31815267

The Ælf in the Wardrobe - Act 3 06/19/2024

The Ælf in the Wardrobe - Act 3 Can the arrangement of carved squares on the doors of our story's locked wardrobe provide a clue for decoding the tapping sounds coming from within? And what about the red-and-white dragons in the center of each square? Could they possibly help determine the language of the coded message? Find out in today’s episode, then click if you’d like to see some of the charts and alphabets mentioned in today’s installment. This episode was first released on March 16, 2023, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31815242

The Ælf in the Wardrobe - Act 2 06/19/2024

The Ælf in the Wardrobe - Act 2 There's more than one system for transmitting a message as a series of taps. Morse code may be the best known. But there's another that's been around since ancient times. You will hear about it in today's episode. After that, click to learn more. This episode was first released on March 9, 2023, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31815187

The Ælf in the Wardrobe - Act 1 06/19/2024

The Ælf in the Wardrobe - Act 1 Strange tapping sounds in a theatre building lead you to a locked wardrobe decorated with dragon heads. Could the sounds be a coded message? Listen carefully, then click for a special Mystery Theatre supplement in which two of our listeners investigate a ghostly mystery from our previous episode. This episode was first released on March 2, 2023, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31815152

In the Ghostlight's Glow - Act 5 06/19/2024

In the Ghostlight's Glow - Act 5 Trapdoors, projectors, smoke, and mirrors—all have been used to bring ghostly apparitions to the stage. But can any of them account for the figure you saw standing in the ghostlight’s glow? Today's episode provides the answer plus a special mystery challenge that you can explore further by clicking . This episode was first released on December 1, 2022, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31815062

In the Ghostlight's Glow - Act 4 06/19/2024

In the Ghostlight's Glow - Act 4 What happens when the cast and crew of "Mary and the Monster" gather for a ghost watch in a haunted theatre? Find out in today’s episode, then click for more stories about haunted stages, dressing rooms, and balconies. This episode was first released on November 23, 2022, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31815017

In the Ghostlight's Glow - Act 3 06/19/2024

In the Ghostlight's Glow - Act 3 When August LaFleur arrives on the scene to join your paranormal investigation, you soon realize that logical explanations alone may not solve the mystery of the specter in the ghostlight's glow. This episode was first released on November 17 2022, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31814967

In the Ghostlight's Glow - Act 2 06/19/2024

In the Ghostlight's Glow - Act 2 What is a ghostlight? Is it bad luck to break one? And can that possibly be the ghost of Mary Shelley approaching from the theatre lobby? One thing's for sure, this mystery is shaping up to be more confounding than all the others. This episode was first released on November 10, 2022, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31814937

In the Ghostlight's Glow - Act 1 06/19/2024

In the Ghostlight's Glow - Act 1 Following a rehearsal for a play based on the life of Mary Shelley, you return to the darkened theatre to find a mysterious stranger standing on the stage. Is it a ghost? An intruder? And what does it have to do with a collection of props gathered from the theatre’s basement? One thing's for sure, this may be the most confounding mystery you have yet encountered. This episode was first released on November 3, 2022, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31814882

A Most Deadly Poison - Act 5 06/19/2024

A Most Deadly Poison - Act 5 When murder is on the menu, twelve dinner guests employ round-robin storytelling to uncover the plot. Find out what happens next in today’s episode, and then click if you’d like to learn more about round-robin storytelling. It’s a fun way to discover that stories are everywhere. This episode was first released on June 2, 2022, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31814707

A Most Deadly Poison - Act 4 06/19/2024

A Most Deadly Poison - Act 4 What do two painted landscapes and a two-faced portrait reveal about the names Ms. Ambertin, Sam Stein, and Sam D. Winter? And what possible connection can the trophy of a saber-tooth boar have with Dr. Werner? So many questions, but one thing's for sure: you'll flip when you find the answers. This episode was first released on May 26, 2022, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31814667

A Most Deadly Poison - Act 3 06/19/2024

A Most Deadly Poison - Act 3 Today’s puzzle centers on 12 enigmatic place cards and the bistable portrait of a woman (click to learn more about her). It’s enough to confound even a master sleuth, and yet--according to August LaFleur--everything you need to solve the mystery may be hanging right before your eyes. This episode was first released on May 19, 2022, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31814487

A Most Deadly Poison - Act 2 06/19/2024

A Most Deadly Poison - Act 2 Has the labeled "Obnoxious Padre" poisoned? Is the "Roast'd Knife" IPA safe to drink? The key to finding out these and other hidden meanings may lie in the connection between the theatre events titled "Unequal Times" and "Unquiet Meals." This episode was first released on May 12, 2022, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31814432

A Most Deadly Poison - Act 1 06/19/2024

A Most Deadly Poison - Act 1 Would you drink a bottle of wine labeled “Obnoxious Padre”? How about an ale labeled “Roast'd Knife” or "Stained Fork"? August LaFleur believes that making the right choice could be a matter of life and death. This episode was first released on May 5, 2022, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31814377

Time is Out of Joint - Act 5 06/19/2024

Time is Out of Joint - Act 5 You're back from the end of time, but what new surprises await you as you return to the clock room? Find out in today's episode. This episode was first released on March 31, 2022, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31814242

Time is Out of Joint - Act 4 06/19/2024

Time is Out of Joint - Act 4 Which classic time-travel novel would you use to escape the clock room? Find out in today’s installment, then click for links to time-travel recommendations from folks active in the fields of science fiction, mystery, fantasy, and horror. /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31814112

Time is Out of Joint - Act 3 06/19/2024

Time is Out of Joint - Act 3 Hidden clues can be difficult to see, but sometimes the more elusive ones can be right in front of your eyes. Take, for example, the case of the hidden camera in the theatrical event “Unequal Times.” This episode was first released on March 17, 2022, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31814057

Time is Out of Joint - Act 2 06/19/2024

Time is Out of Joint - Act 2 What mystery lies beyond the door reading WAY OUT? Find out in today's installment, where you will also hear Prime Stage fans discussing a clock-room diagram that you can find by clicking . This episode was first released on March, 2022, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31814002

Time is Out of Joint - Act 1 06/19/2024

Time is Out of Joint - Act 1 The circular room has twelve locked doors, each positioned like the hours of a clock and labeled with a random word or phrase. Your challenge: find a way to open the doors before time runs out. /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31810692

A Trap Full of Monsters - Act 5 06/19/2024

A Trap Full of Monsters - Act 5 What happens when you try catching a thief in a trap full of monsters? Find out as the New Towne Players stage an unscripted confrontation in which nothing is as it seems. This episode was first released on November 4, 2021, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31810162

A Trap Full of Monsters- Act 4 06/19/2024

A Trap Full of Monsters- Act 4 After examining the clues and finally identifying a culprit, you might think the next logical step would be calling the authorities. But a reality TV host has a different idea—one that may result in considerable danger to all involved. This episode was first released on October 28, 2021, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31810107

A Trap Full of Monsters- Act 3 06/19/2024

A Trap Full of Monsters- Act 3 What do you do when a perfect solution proves untrue? Today’s episode features a number of plausible solutions and a series of challenging contradictions—all moving you closer to the realization that “when you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” This episode was first released on October 21, 2021, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31809787

A Trap Full of Monsters- Act 2 06/19/2024

A Trap Full of Monsters- Act 2 What lies beyond the devil’s door? Find out as you follow August LaFleur into the smoky shadows of a region “commonly referred to as hell.” This episode also features a brilliant reply to last week’s mystery question, submitted to us from Professor Gina Wisker of Cambridge, England. A full transcript of Dr. Wisker’s comment can be read here: This episode was first released on October 14, 2021, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31809702

A Trap Full of Monsters- Act 1 06/19/2024

A Trap Full of Monsters- Act 1 How do you get a reality-TV crew into a locked theatre without interrupting a dress rehearsal for Frankenstein? Mystery writer August LaFleur claims he has a solution. Unfortunately, it involves passing through something called a devil’s door. This episode was first released on October 7, 2021, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31809677

The Play's the Thing - Act 5 06/19/2024

The Play's the Thing - Act 5 Mystery solved! Or is it? You may have found your missing actor, but the story of his disappearance is not as clear as it seems. Get ready for some final surprises as August LaFleur reveals that a good story need not be bound by the reality that inspires it. This episode was first released on March 25, 2020, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31807682

The Play's the Thing - Act 4 06/19/2024

The Play's the Thing - Act 4 The clock is ticking. In a few minutes, you’ll be needed on stage – but right now you’re hot on the trail of your missing co-star. Can you find him in time to make your entrance and save the show, or are you both about to be caught up in an actor’s nightmare? This episode was first released on March 18, 2021, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31807647

The Play's the Thing - Act 3 06/19/2024

The Play's the Thing - Act 3 Not all clues are things you can see. Sometimes, you have to listen. Join us as we separate acoustic red herrings from audible clues in this week’s installment of “The Play’s the Thing.” This episode was first released on March 10, 2021, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31807532

The Play's the Thing - Act 2 06/19/2024

The Play's the Thing - Act 2 There’s more than one way to find a missing person, but how would you do it without looking for them? Today’s episode invites you to consider not one but two prompts that could lead to solving the mystery. This episode was first released on March 4, 2021, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31807342

The Play's the Thing - Act 1 06/19/2024

The Play's the Thing - Act 1 It’s opening night, and a player is missing. Now it’s up to you to follow the clues, find him, and deliver him backstage before his all-important scene. Written especially for Prime Stage by author, playwright, and screenwriter Lawrence C. Connolly. “The Play’s the Thing” reunites the cast of eccentric characters featured in our previous five-act podcast “A Knavish Piece of Work.” The world is full of mysteries. Here’s one we can solve together. This episode was first released on February 25, 2021, from . /episode/index/show/54de5a06-7bf9-4f66-974c-a56d82fc8130/id/31807302

Prime Stage Mystery Theatre

TOPICS