Open Forum

 View Only

  • 1.  Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre

    Posted 01-28-2023 21:46
    Hello all!
    My performing Arts Director is toying with the idea of doing a small Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre show in June as a trial run for a full-blown event in December. Does anyone have any experience with such things? Where do I begin in even looking to find a script, planning ,etc. We will more than likely have the current company running our cafeteria, cater.

    Help is greatly appreciated!!


    ------------------------------
    Joshua Watters
    Mr.
    TX
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre

    Posted 01-30-2023 10:53
    We did our first dinner theatre this fall and it was a HUGE success.  We performed Dinner at 8:00, Dead by 9:00 from Pioneer drama.  There was one reference to a gun, but they are wonderful about making edits for schools and allowed us to change to another "weapon" so it was okay with our administration.   HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

    ------------------------------
    Amy MacCord
    Musical Theatre Teacher
    Westwood Middle School
    FL
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre

    Posted 01-30-2023 10:53
    Mysteries by Moushey might be a good resource for you. They are very helpful.

    https://www.mysteriesbymoushey.com/

    James Thomas Bailey
    Director of Theatre Arts • Chair, Visual & Performing Arts
    Past President, CA Educational Theatre Association
    He /Him /His



    www.justin-siena.org  |  4026 Maher Street, Napa, CA 94558  |  707.255.0950 ext. 659 

    This email may contain material that is confidential or private and intended for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, reliance, or distribution by others or forwarding without the express permission of the original sender is strictly prohibited and violates constitutionally protected privacy rights. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender and destroy all copies.





    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre

    Posted 01-30-2023 15:27

    I've done scripted ones with my students, and I also work for an interactive murder mystery company.  I not only perform in them, I've also written several. Feel free to pick my brain!

     

    Janie

     

    Janie Modlin, Director of Theatre

    Paul Blazer High School

    1500 Blazer Boulevard

    Ashland, KY  41102

    (606) 327-6040 ext. 3326

    "Actors are agents of change.  A film, a piece of theatre, a piece of music, or a book can make a difference.  It can change the world."  Alan Rickman 

     

     

    NOTICE OF CONFIDENTIALITY:  This email, including any attachments, is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential information that is legally privileged and exempt from disclosure under applicable law.  If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are notified that any review, use, disclosure, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited.  If you have received this communication in error, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message.

     

     




    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre

    Posted 02-07-2023 11:31
    I've done a few Murder Mystery dinner theatre's in the past and they were always a huge hit. However, instead of doing a full blown dinner we did appetizers, drinks and desserts instead. (This fit better for our venue and budget.)  We began the evening with the audience arriving 30 minutes early for drinks and appetizers. My students would do the serving. These were not the same students who were performing in the show, but I did still require them to create a character befitting of the show and to stay in character the entire evening. My actors in the show would mingle with the audience, in character, dropping clues and planting seeds as the script allowed/required to get the mystery and intrigue started early. Both my students and the audience had a lot fun with this. And what an amazing experience and acting lesson for the students, they really had to fully embody their character and improv on the spot how their character would respond and behave to the audiences responses/questions. At intermission we would repeat the process of actors mingling with audience while being served dessert and drinks. Some of our shows required the audience to figure out encrypted messages to gain clues to further the story which added to the mystery and fun.

    Finding good scripts can sometimes be a little tricky, especially if you want audience participation. They are out there you just have to do a little digging. Here are a few that worked well for us:

    Murderous Crossing  by David Landau & Nikki Stern 
    Death & Deceit on the Nile  by Peter DePiero
    Musical Comedy Murders of 1940  by John Bishop
    Noir Suspicions  by David Landau & Nikki Stern

    Good Luck!

    ------------------------------
    Jillian Lietzau
    Lutheran High School
    CO
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


Related Content