The Butler Did It

A witty and suspenseful comedy thriller in the grand tradition of Dial M for Murder and Columbo.

Jeffrey Hatcher’s The Butler Did It invites audiences into a world of secrets, suspicion, and perfectly planned crimes.

Set in 1975 San Francisco at the prestigious Portland School for Gentlemen’s Gentlemen - a finishing school for butlers who serve the fabulously wealthy - The Butler Did It transports audiences to a world where appearances can be deceiving, every detail matters, and everyone has something to hide. When a seemingly perfect crime sets events in motion, the question is not simply what happened, but whether the truth can remain hidden when the quietly brilliant Inspector Denise arrives on the scene.

Inspired by the classic “inverted mystery” - where audiences witness the crime before watching the detective unravel the plan - The Butler Did It pays tribute to one of the genre’s most beloved examples: Columbo. Jeffrey Hatcher knows that world firsthand, having written the 1998 Columbo episode Ashes to Ashes, working alongside series star Peter Falk and director Patrick McGoohan. Decades later, Hatcher revisits his fascination with the perfectly planned crime and the detective clever enough to expose it.

In the spirit of Lieutenant Columbo’s patient investigation, Hatcher introduces audiences to Inspector Denise, an original detective whose unassuming appearance and quiet persistence conceal a brilliant mind. As clues emerge and secrets unravel, Denise must rely on her sharp instincts to uncover what others have missed.

The Butler Did It celebrates the golden age of mystery storytelling while bringing a brand-new theatrical mystery to the stage from one of America’s most acclaimed playwrights.