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A Broadway musician’s double life as a murder mystery maker (Mike Pettry)
🕑 Added 2025-08-15 17:25:40 +0000 UTC
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Today's guest is musical composer, orchestrator, lyricist, conductor, and musician Mike Pettry, who climbed the rungs of the theater world and now performs in the orchestras of award-winning Broadway shows. His performances have accompanied artists like Ben Platt and Idina Menzel.
But as his Broadway career blossomed, Pettry began to fantasize about something else entirely: making a musical… video game.
A murder mystery musical video game, to be precise. Murder at the Birch Tree Theater is a deduction game, in the style of Return of the Obra Dinn and The Case of the Golden Idol. Set across many years at a small community theater, it tells a story of intrigue, small-time fame, and, as the title promises, murder.
I talk with Pettry about juggling his two dreams on the world's biggest stage. Or under it. He plays in the orchestra after all.
Act 1: A gamer in the Broadway pit
Act 2: Fine-tuning a musical murder mystery game
Patreon-bonus: Three original songs based on retro gaming classics, created by Mike Pettry and his longtime collaborator Eli Bolin
The two previously wrote and orchestrated songs for John Mulaney’s Sack Lunch Bunch and Documentary Now!
Act 3: The news of the week
Like the show? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!
Act 1: A gamer in the Broadway pit
Documentary Now, "Co-op" (IFC)
Original Cast Album: "Company" (Criterion Channel)
John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch (Netflix)
The Pillows, Track Suits and Letters That Fans Send to Broadway Stars (NYTimes)
Game Music Composing: Murder at the Birch Tree Theater (Mike Pettry on YouTube)
Parade on Broadway (Broadway Cast Recording, 2023) (Spotify)
A Strange Loop (Original Broadway Cast Recording) (Spotify)
Redwood (Original Broadway Cast Recording) (Spotify)
Act 2: Fine-tuning a musical murder mystery game
Murder at the Birch Tree Theater (Steam)
Bit Parade (Spotify)
Return of the Obra Dinn (Steam)
The Case of the Golden Idol (Steam)
Patreon bonus: Songs from an Italian Plumber's Restaurant
Mike Pettry shared the final versions of three songs from Bit Parade. The tunes are inspired by Super Metroid, Toe Jam & Earl, and Pokémon. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!!
Act 3: News of the week
Earthion: A Brand-New Genesis/Mega Drive Game - And It Rocks (DF Clips)
Earthion (Steam)
The Making Of: Earthion - "Working On It Again Reminded Me Just How Incredible The Mega Drive Really Is" (Time Extension)
Valve explains why using PayPal for Steam purchases isn't currently an option in a whole bunch of countries (RPS)
Are we finally getting a great Fast & Furious racing game? (Polygon)
This week in video game links
25 Years Later, Seaman Remains an Absolute Original. Too Bad You Can’t Really Play It These Days. (Endless Mode)
The sound of a newborn world: The Sega Genesis | Segaiden 88 (Jeremy Parish)
Short, smart, potentially a gamble: with Mafia: The Old Country, Take-Two grapples with the past and future of video games (Eurogamer)
It’s Been a Great Two Weeks for Shmup Fans (Endless Mode)
The Action Movie Obviousness of Mortal Kombat Character Names (Thrilling Tales of Old Video Games)
Free game of the week: Shinobi: Art of Vengeance demo
I had a chance to play an hour of this Shinobi reboot at Summer Game Fest and really enjoyed my time. Here's the official description: "Master the way of the shinobi, execute the ninja arts with precision, and journey through a stylized world. Free demo available for SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance, an all-new 2D action platformer with a unique hand-drawn look created by the team behind the hit brawler Streets of Rage 4."
What else I’m enjoying
Superfauna Safari (Godzilla Found Footage) (Lost Utopia Films)
‘Road House’ Still Reigns as the Best Bad Movie (NYTimes)
Jamie Lee Curtis's Closet Picks – she found a laserdisc! (Criterion)
‘Shin Godzilla’ Will Make You Nostalgic for a Working Government (prospect.org)
Comments
Jesse Koechling
So funny hearing Mike Pettry mention his 3rd grade sketches of Zelda 3. When I visited my parents this spring I also dug up my maybe 4th grade sketches also of Zelda 3. Maybe we can collaborate and finally make the new Zelda everyone has been waiting for.
Kormakur Gardarsson
As someone who is definitely not a musical theater person this was a fascinating insight into how that world and games intersect. Another great episode, Chris!
Bruce
One of my faves yet, I didn’t know what to expect from the three songs but they were hilarious. Awesome fun content. Wishlisted Birch Theatre!
Chris Plante
"I don't know him! I don't know that man been selling weed!"
Directional Joy
You can find me at Funkotron! Blast off to a calculated class and a pleasant recess.
Mariko
As a fellow theater pit musician and conductor... so excited for this episode - I cannot wait to check out Mike's game 🤗
