Samuel French (now Concord Theatricals) is notoriously strict about Shear Madness. When you license the show, you are often contractually obligated to perform the most recent update available. You cannot simply Xerox an old script from 1995. The licensing house will send you the "UPD" PDF specifically to prevent stale performances.
If you are a theater director, drama teacher, or community group leader, follow these steps:
Crucial Note: Concord does not allow you to change the ending (the killer is determined by audience vote), but they require you to update the cultural references. Most licenses include a clause stating: "Producer agrees to keep the script contemporaneous to the performance dates." shear madness play script upd
Before diving into the update logistics, we must understand what we are updating. Shear Madness was created by Paul Pörtner (originally the German play Scherenschnitt) and adapted into English by Marilyn Abrams and Bruce Jordan.
The plot is deceptively simple: It takes place at the "Shear Madness" hair salon, owned by the flamboyant and quick-witted Tony Whitcomb (a role that has launched a thousand character actors into legend). When a wealthy landlady living upstairs is murdered, every customer in the salon—and every audience member—becomes a suspect. Receive the "Perusal Copy": This is often an
However, the "simple plot" is a trap. The genius of Shear Madness is that it is a whodunit with a twist. The audience gets to interrogate the suspects during the second act. The actors break the fourth wall, point at specific people in the audience, and change the killer based on the majority vote of the crowd that night.
A: Yes. Concord released a "High School Edition" UPD in 2022 that cuts the intermission and removes alcohol references. This version runs 70 minutes. Search for "Shear Madness (Young Audience Edition)." Crucial Note: Concord does not allow you to
(After audience suggestions and clues revealed, CHARLIE and the gang find the murder weapon—a scissor.)
CHARLIE: It was hidden in the display case. Now, who do you think did it?