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"Theatre Tricks"
SVU, Episode 13.11
Production number: 13011
First aired (US): 11 January 2012
First aired (UK): 20 May 2012
First aired (CAN): 11 January 2012
First aired (AUS): 19 April 2012
  th of 502 produced in SVU  
th of 502 released in SVU
  th of 1271 released in all  
Svu1311
Teleplay By
Marygrace O'Shea

Story By
Marygrace O'Shea, Julie Martin & Warren Leight

Directed By
Constantine Makris

When an actress is raped on stage during a performance, the SVU squad discovers the attacker was set up to commit the crime.

Summary[]

An actress in an interactive theater production is raped on stage, while the audience believes it to be part of the show. The SVU detectives hit a dead end in their investigation when they learn the show's passionate director gave the audience, including the assailant, masks to wear during the performance. Detectives Rollins and Tutuola track down an obsessed fan of the young actress who recorded the assault while stalking her, which leads Detectives Benson and Amaro to a respected judge. With the judge's reputation on the line, the SVU squad explores the underbelly of the New York theater world to uncover who really orchestrated the public attack.

Plot[]

Episode plot

Cast[]

Main Cast[]

Recurring cast[]

Guest cast[]

Reference[]

Quotes[]

Benson: Rape kit's in. There's no trauma, except for wrist abrasions. No DNA.
Amaro: It was their opening night. Any chance it was all for publicity?
Benson: This girl Meghan, she just moved here from Hennepin, Minnesota six months ago. She's pretty shaken up.
Amaro: Well, she is an actress.
[There's a long pause as everyone looks around]
Cragen: Point taken. [to Amaro] See if her story has changed overnight.

[after what Amaro said about Meghan]
Rollins: What was that about? What, she's an actress, she's on stage, she dressed provocatively, that means she's automatically lying?
Benson: No, they don't think that.
Rollins: Well, something else was going on. I also know you heard it too. I keep wanting to think that things have changed.
Benson: They have changed. Compared to the way it used to be? They've changed.

Estelle Roberts: I live in hell. I don't need to see a play about it.

Jason Roberts: If I was gonna set up Meghan, I've got images that are a lot hotter. See?
[shows the detectives the images]
Rollins: Really? Jason, you just made bail on a surveillance charge.

Rollins: Amanda Rollins: Jeez. The director, the I.T. guy, the judge. Just pick your pervert.
Benson: [referring to Meghan] Well, a pretty girl new to New York City. Every guy she met saw her as easy prey.
Rollins: Can I ask you something? How long have you worked SVU?
Benson: Don't ask.
Rollins: No, it's just... how do you trust any man ever after working this job day in, day out?
Benson: I trusted my partner.
Rollins: Yeah, okay.
Benson: I haven't given up hope. There are good guys still out there.

Rollins: [to Holly] You know, I'm from a small town too. I come up here to the city, I think things are gonna be different, my life's gonna change.
Holly Schneider: You don't get it! You're like Meghan. How long have you been in New York? And you're already a detective? You're just like her. Everything just handed to you. Guys jumping up to help you, nice apartments, upgrades to first-class. All you have to do is show up...
Amaro: And you get the part.

Meghan Weller: Holly, I thought you were my friend. You had someone rape me!
Holly Schneider: It's about time something bad happened in your life.

Rollins: I didn't see or hear a shred of remorse. With all the abusive men in her life and Meghan's betrayed by a woman. Didn't see it coming.
Benson: Yeah, it's hard enough out there. You'd like to think that we could look out for each other. [gives Rollins a knowing look] Good night.
Rollins: Get home safe.

Background information and Notes[]

  • Actor Ice-T's wife, Coco, has a cameo in this episode as an actress in the theatre production show in the open.
  • The victim is being introduced as coming from Hennepin, Minnesota and Hennepin is presented as a town. However Hennepin is in fact a county in Minnesota; Minneapolis is in Hennepin County.

Episode scene cards[]

1 2 3 4

Apartment of
Meghan Weller
659 Hudson Street
Friday, December 16

Apartment Building of
Estelle Roberts
213 West 98th Street
Friday, December 16

Java Jake's
1993 Broadway
Saturday, December 17

Chambers of
Judge Gerald Crane
73 Thomas Street
Monday, December 19

Previous episode:
"Spiraling Down"
"Theatre Tricks"
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Season 13
Next episode:
"Official Story"
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