Hiring a Murder Mystery Theater group for your event can be a total success or an awkward flop. The right troupe can leave guests thoroughly entertained, and the wrong troupe can make the night drag on forever. The Murder Mystery events are popping up in more and more cities, with new companies offering this style of entertainment in their party offerings. Why is it so popular?
Because a good murder mystery is thrilling. A truly good mystery is challenging to participants. When a troupe knows what they are doing, the party-goers can escape their daily lives and be transported to a different time and place – a world full of mystery and suspense.
Choosing the right murder mystery cast for your party is crucial. The factors depend on your needs. Do you want challenging detective work for your guests, or more comedic fun? Or both? Do you like campy over the top actors or characters that blend into your party without anyone noticing. Would your guests enjoy a modern setting, or another era such as a Speakeasy in the Twenties, or Victorian England? Would you like a dark Noir feel, or a parody of the Sopranos? So many options!
I joined the mystery performance world when I was 23, back in 1989. The concept was still new, they called it Audience Participation Theater. I joined a group in NJ and the style was all camp: madcap hijinx, outlandish costumes and characters, hokey but fun. Working the tables, making people laugh, I had a blast. I even wrote my own silly script that company is still using today.
A few years later, I relocated to Los Angeles, CA. Out west, the murder mysteries we performed were contrasting: the goal was to have your actors blend right in with the guests, you did not know who was who. The mysteries they solved were actually challenging and intriguing, the writing was superb, the plots filled with twists. When someone would discover something, the guests were truly amazed and excited and captivated. But still I would see too much down time in between these moments, a little slower moving night, and I wanted to see actors talents utilized more.
The only character that is not supposed to be a ‘blend-in’ is the lead detective. I auditioned for this important role, developing a character that was part Columbo and part Jay Leno. Improv comedy involving the participants by name, and that casual detective questioning was a perfect mix.
I took this character Detective Sharpo, and started my own Sharpo Mysteries. Nora and I now write compelling plots with diabolic motives, and I am a member of Mystery Writers of America. We like a mix of some characters that blend in, and some over the top entertaining characters that keep the night moving and the guests laughing. The event comes of real and silly at the same time, intriguing yet entertaining. Even during the cocktail hour before the mystery begins, we set the tone of the night with strolling performers mingling with the guests, doing improv and magic.
By asking the right questions, you can find a murder mystery company in your city that truly provides a one of a kind experience. This perfect mix of mystery and comedy will leave your guests talking about this event for years!
Tags: Home&Family