Pondering over this fact, I suggested to the Mystery Engineers at Newport Murder Mystery that we do a show called "The Butler Did It" in which every suspect was a butler. Perhaps the setting could be a butler's convention. We took off with the idea, and our Mystery Engineer Emeritus, Patrick, came up with a much better story line (which I won't divulge here because it's the next show at the Newport Art Museum starting in February!).
That led me to think about other little things people do at Murder Mysteries that drive me a little bonkers or make me laugh. Here are a few of my favorite stories. If any of you have acted in or attended one of our murder mysteries, please feel free to comment with your own favorite stories!
Favorite Moments With Newport Murder Mystery
- At a recent Murder Mystery weekend one of our guests, who will forever be remembered as one of my favorites, showed up for breakfast with a little pot belly we hadn't noticed. I took little note until I noticed that it kept growing throughout the day. She boldly announced to the crowd that she was pregnant (a remarkable feat given her age) and even wore the belly around town all day. I recently visited a wine shop where we sent some guests and the shop keeper commented, "It was very odd when the lady who was clearly too old to have children did her wine tasting while very pregnant." No worries, everyone. It was all a part of the act. A secret that even the writers of the show didn't know about!
- Mystery Engineer Jessica was playing a rather broad characterization of Consuelo Vanderbilt, famous resident of the Marble House. At the time we were performing at the Beechwood Mansion right next door to the Marble House. Jessica arrived to the party with the other guests, waiting in line to get tickets. Now, I knew that she was playing Consuelo and that her take on Consuelo was as a rather odd young girl with an inexplicable cockney accent, but I had no idea that she would show up with a huge rod down her back (something the historical Consuelo was forced to wear to keep good posture) and twigs in her hair from where she crawled through the bushes. It's one of the few times I actually broke character and laughed. I still chuckle when I think about it.
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| Me as Colonel Mann with Jessica |
- I once played a very nasty character loosely based on newspaper editor Colonel Mann. I played him as a skeezy, slimey, creepy, old man. I would cough loudly on people and make crude remarks. One lady in the audience was truly appalled and told everyone around her, "I hope he gets killed." Well, as fate would have it, I died during the night, and the poor lady was accused by everyone sitting around her. It was hilarious how this lady who wasn't in the script became a prime suspect.
If you'd like to create some of your own Newport Murder Mystery memories, come see one of our shows! We perform regularly at the Newport Art Museum, and we're offering three-day, one-of-a-kind murder mystery weekends at the Architect's Inn. What are you waiting for? I just told you, the butler did it.
Oh, the many moments of spontaneous hilarity, awkwardness and pure brilliance! Yes, Murder Mysteries and the uncontrollable actions/responses from the audience create many long-lasting laughs and memories. Some of my favorite moments have been when I have been dead.
ReplyDeleteI die a lot. I'd like to think that I make a good victim and dead person. Now, it's not as easy to be dead as one would expect. It's actually quite difficult and requires a lot of focus and concentration. Because of course 80% of the audience want and attempt to (and sometimes successfully) poke you or touch you, and they're all judging your breath control.
When I die, I like to have my body visible the entire length of questioning, and often in unconventional places or positions. I consider it a challenge - and often a rewarding challenge, because I get to hear all the comments and theories from the guests, and also the characters. My favorite deaths include:
1. lying in a bathtub
2. lying face-first in an elevette
3. lying in a coffin - once I was actually put into it by the other characters and once I fell dead into it
*my favorite death was in the coffin and when Charles as Lispenard Stewart "guarded" my body; he constantly tried to make me crack and was hilarious - and it was extremely difficult not to move a muscle. I may have broken once, although I'm not sure.
4. lying face-first on the Casino Theatre stage, to end up in a huge pool of drool (luckily it wasn't noticed by the audience)
5. having a guest actually think I was dead after checking my pulse not once - but twice (this was at a 3-day and the unnamed guest was quite inebriated, to say the least)
...and many more
As Charles said though, the good, fun memories definitely outweigh the negative. It's always a joy to witness someone participate with such enthusiasm and no embarrassment. He/she just makes a bold choice and becomes part of the ensemble. I find this the case in every 3-day Murder Mystery. There is always that one (often more) person who goes above and beyond and actually deceives other participants in thinking he/she is part of the cast.
In our very first 3-day, some of the guests actually called a number to a shop we just randomly had in a notebook found at the crime scene. We didn't intend for this to happen and had to scramble to speak to the store about the show, etc.
Just goes to show that people want to play. And I don't blame them - it's always fun to play dress-up and act like a kid. So come see "The Butler Did It!" and please don't shout that he did...because otherwise you might just end up the victim.
I had forgotten about making you crack when you were dead in that coffin. I had so much fun thinking up crazy things to say. Good times. Good times.
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