Bludgeoned on Broadway (8–13) 15+

Bludgeoned on Broadway – a 1940s murder mystery party game with a theatrical setting for 8 to 13 guests

"Bludgeoned on Broadway was a wonderful game, all the guests had loads of fun! "
Amanda McLeod, Canada

Recommended for ages 15+
Costs US$29.99
Written by Jennifer Vals

Bludgeoned on Broadway is a dinner party murder mystery game for 8 to 13 guests and a host – download the free introductory pdf file.

Join us in a thrilling evening of of drama, double takes, and denouements. You will be in the middle of the action and it will be up to you to wheel and deal with the other guests. Can you achieve your goals, keep your secrets hidden and survive Bludgeoned on Broadway? It's up to you.

Bludgeoned on Broadway

It's 1947 and along New York City's Broadway Avenue, theatres are stuffed to capacity with anxious spectators waiting to be entertained. Inside the Arlington Theatre, it's the first scene of the new Broadway play Olympian Days, and leading actor Jackson Turner has failed to make his grand entrance! Why? He's been brutally murdered in his dressing room backstage.

In Bludgeoned on Broadway, everyone is acting a part, and it's up to you to figure out who's hiding behind the mask of illusion, deception, and even murder! You can form alliances, blackmail each other, steal items and money, and generally usurp and upset others' attempts to achieve goals!

Along the way, you may solve some of Bludgeoned on Broadway's mysteries, like who is the Theatre Bomber? Who is the Midwest Murderer? Who is a Communist? And of course, who murdered Jackson Turner? Find out in Bludgeoned on Broadway!

Bludgeoned on Broadway lasts for about four hours and is suited to an evening. It is often played over a meal – a finger buffet if possible to allow guests to circulate and talk in private.

"What a great way to spend a New Year's Eve!I loved it! The mystery was so well written. Everyone seemed to understand and fit into their character role. It is a must play game! "
Jen Laubscher, United States

The free introductory pdf file contains an introduction to the game, a cast list of all the characters, and a copy of the New York Press – plus details of how to buy the game.

These are the characters in Bludgeoned on Broadway:

• • "Scrappy" Barker – the wily owner of the Arlington Theatre
  • Bruno – the stage manager and a tough mafia soldier
  • Dorothy Sadler – the ditzy leading actress debuting in the role of Hera, Greek Queen of the Gods
  • Franco Torrio – fronts as a waste management consultant, but really a powerful mafia capo
  • Hannah Edelstein – the production's talented choreographer and a Jewish immigrant from Denmark
  • Harold Finney – the veteran character actor and mischievous storyteller playing the role of Hades, God of the Underworld
  • Jordan Lutrova – the costume / prop coordinator and an eccentric collector of antiques and other treasures
  • Lana Johnson – the glamorous and talented Broadway actress playing the supporting role of Aphrodite, Greek Goddess of Love
  • Logan Randolph – a New York City police detective
  • Mayor La Garner – the ambitious New York City Mayor
  • Olivia Dalton – the Olympian Days producer
  • Pat Waddle – the studious and idealistic Olympian Days playwright
  • Taylor Higgins – a newspaper reporter from the Manhattan Happenings newspaper

How Freeform Games Murder Mysteries Work

Bludgeoned on Broadway is unlike many murder mystery games. Although the game starts with a murder, most of the characters have more important things to do than to investigate it. And the killing may not be over – it is unlikely that everyone will survive the remainder of the evening!

Bludgeoned on Broadway is played just like a murder mystery game. You may be trying to solve the murder, but primarily you are (initially at least) concentrating on your own goals and objectives. Unlike most boxed murder mystery games, Bludgeoned on Broadway lets you decide how to achieve your goals and thwart your enemies.

"Bludgeoned on Broadway all went well overall and everyone had fun! Thank you so much for your quick response and a great time!"
Dawn Ringer, United States

On the evening of the game the guests are met by the organizer, the Director, and welcomed to the Arlington Theatre. They then receive their detailed backgrounds - including dark secrets, objectives and money. The fun then begins as they form alliances, blackmail each other, steal items and maybe even try to murder one another! Depending on what the players choose to do, there are several different possible endings, but finally everyone finds out how they did, and what secrets everyone else was concealing.

Extra characters

Sometimes you have too many guests and you need more characters. So we've written a free extra character for each of our games that you can add in, and some of our customers have created their own characters for their parties and are kindly willing to share them.

• • 'Ginger' Roberts – freelance reporter in search of the Big Story. (Any)
    (by Freeform Games)

Please note that we haven't always tested these – and they may not tie in exactly with our games.