The Show Must Go Wrong

You are the “heads” of one-person departments in a smaller, regional theatre.  It’s tech week for the biggest show of the season.  You’re overworked, underpaid, and doing your best with not enough support.  Same old, same old.

You likely have been dreaming of a job like this since high school or college.  You were taught early that there’s not many jobs in theatre and it’s a tough industry to “make it” in.  Truly,  you’re lucky you’re here.  It’d take a lot to get you to give up such a coveted position.

The Show Must Go Wrong is a short card game where players deal with complex problems and take on stress as they race to the end of tech week towards opening night.

In The Show Must Go Wrong, players race against a jenga tower to survive tech week before the show comes crashing down around them, or they burn out.

To play, you'll need:

• Six players
• At least six index cards, but more on hand is better
• Pencils
• A jenga tower
• A set of playing cards with two jokers
• At least one six-sided dice
• A coin

The Show Must Go Wrong was designed by Elliot Peterson, who can be found on Bluesky.