12,000 Performances Later,
"Shear" Is Still "Madness"

With more than 12,000 consecutive performances to its credit, "Shear Madness," Boston's hilarious interactive whodunit, continues to extend its record as the longest running play in American theatre history.

Opening in January of 1980 in its longtime home on the lower level of The Charles Playhouse, the show is the seven-time recipient of Best Comedy of The Year by The Boston Globe.

As loyal fans of the show know, "Shear Madness" is set in a Boston hairstyling salon. The Newbury Street haircuts and ultra-socializing are suddenly cut short when landlady Isabel Czerny, living above the shop, is murdered.

Whodunit? Turns out, every single one of the characters had a good reason to do the old girl in.

A mixture of improvisation and up-to-the-minute topical humor, "Shear Madness" calls upon the audience solve its crime. Successful sleuthing leads to a different show every time it's performed. As a result, the show has become a popular choice for repeat visitors,

Created by Bruce Jordan and Marilyn Abrams, productions of "Shear Madness" (each personalized for its own location) are currently playing in: Las Vegas, Nevada; Washington, D.C.; Milwaukee, Minnesota; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Albany, New York. More than 8 million people around the world have experienced the show since its beginnings.

For tickets and information call the box office at 617-426-5225 or visit www.shearmadness.com.

-- Production Photo: Cranberry Productions

-- OnStage Boston