The Secret of the Old Queen
A musical comedy
Book by Timothy Cope
Music and lyrics by Paul Boesing

Directed by Curt Arnold
Musical Direction by Butch Marshall

Original logo artwork by Chuck Ayers

Once a year, Weathervane Playhouse plays host to a special-event, one-night-only benefit performance. This year, our “usual suspects” of Cleveland-area theater artists have chosen a sweetly hilarious send-up of a classic detective series: The Secret of the Old Queen.

Teenaged sleuths Frank and Joe Hardy are up to adventure in The Secret of the Old Queen, an affectionate musical parody of the Hardy Boys mystery novels.

When a number of cultured, middle-aged bachelors fall victim to a string of robberies, local recluse Cornelius Digby hires the Hardy Boys to guard the priceless statue that he is donating to the Bayport Art Museum. With the encouragement of their father, noted private detective Fenton Hardy, Frank and Joe accept the job and enlist the aid of their best chum, Chet Morton. The statue will be unveiled at a costume ball, so the Boys seek the assistance of eccentric costumer Electra Carstairs to outfit them and their dates, Callie Shaw and Iola Morton, for the big night. In the middle of the party, the lights go out and screams are heard – suddenly, the statue has disappeared, and so has Chet! Police Chief Collig is leading the investigation, but it’s Frank and Joe who find the clues, rescue Chet, and solve the case. Who is the shady lout who keeps crossing the Boys’ path? Why does Mrs. Carstairs act so mysteriously? Why has Mr. Hardy been oddly absent while all of these events unfold? And what does the future hold in store for Iola and Joe, Callie and Frank? These questions and more are answered as Frank and Joe unravel the mystery and bring the culprit to justice!

The performance will be a staged concert production; it will be performed in costume with some props, but will not feature sets, lighting effects, etc. The show is performed in two acts with an intermission.

AUDIENCE ADVISORY: The Secret of the Old Queen is recommended for mature audiences. While the characters do embody the innocence of the Hardy Boys novels and the script does not include any adult language, the show is filled with adult humor and sexual situations. Parents are requested to use their discretion in determining if this production may be suitable for their children.