Play-Dead Murder Mystery Blog

Death of a Doornail in Carleton Place Ontario

Lee.Mueller@gmail.com (Lee Mueller) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:32:00 +0000

'Death of a Doornail'
Production promises mirth, mayhem and murder
reported by Kathleen Everett

The winter is lingering and the lack of sun is starting to fray us around our emotional edges…but hark, is that the call of another fun-filled Mudds Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre to the rescue? Why, yes it is!

This time the setting is a wealthy American home of the 1950s. The snobby relatives of the patriarch, Albert Doornale, are forced to brush up against his less polished friends when all are invited to dinner one stormy night. Throw in an English butler, an embittered Irish cook, and a detective that just happens to be in the vicinity, and you have all the fixings for a classic drawing-room mystery.

What is particularly endearing about this piece, “Death of a Doornail” by Lee Mueller, is how Mueller uses the audience’s familiarity with this classic mystery format to his advantage. He counts on the fact that we know these stereotypical characters and will revel in their selfishness, their sneakiness, their snobbery, stupidity and innocence. Thus, while we are not generally ‘surprised’ by these characters, we are thoroughly entertained by them.

The director, Sandra Dunlop, and the cast work this “familiar” character and plot angle to the hilt. Tony Scott’s English butler is wonderfully over the top, and Meredith Millman, as the spoilt daughter Pricilla, brilliantly portrays a deplorably snobby young woman that has, nevertheless, managed to maintain the capacity to truly love her family. Michele Eno, playing the mind-bogglingly dumb, yet endearing, new girlfriend of Albert Doornale, is a hoot in every one of her scenes. This large cast (10 in total) has done its homework; each character pops off the stage (as it were), and Mueller’s quick, clever script is delivered with a perfect sense of timing.

Yes indeed, this sweet theatrical treat, along with the Inn’s wonderful epicurean offering will surely fill your winter weary soul to the brim with good times. And, don’t let the fact that this is a classic drawing-room mystery fool you! There are plenty of twists and turns of plot in this who-done-it — enough to keep the most ardent mystery lover’s grey matter working the entire evening.

So, if you want to know who gets killed, how, and by whom, you’ll just have to get yourself down to the Carleton Heritage Inn for tickets, or call 613-257-2525 to reserve your place for either March 19 or March 20. Tickets are on sale at $45 each, which includes the show, a great dinner and taxes (gratuities are extra). The doors open at 6 p.m. and the show begins at 6:30 p.m.

For More Information visit the Mississippi Mudds of Carleton

The Basic Elements of Murder Mystery Dramas

Lee.Mueller@gmail.com (Lee Mueller) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:12:00 +0000

The Basic Elements of Murder Mystery Dramas

Perhaps the most famous of them all was, is, and will be The Mousetrap written by Agatha Christie, but even so, other murder mystery dramas have also entranced audiences worldwide with their suspense and storyline. My earliest brush with murder mystery drama was when I watched a performance of The Gaslight written by Patrick Hamilton by the drama club at college. The lead actors were stunning, as was the play itself. The reason I mention the actors is because for a murder mystery drama to succeed and run to packed houses night after night, the actors have to really get under the skin of the characters they play and live their roles – the audience sometimes knows who really did it; what they’re there for is to see how the lead actors play their parts.

Although every play is different, there are a few elements that are common to most murder mystery dramas:

· Characters who are described in shades of grey: With the exception of the detective who solves the murder (although there have been certain exceptions to this rule too and the murderer turns out to be the detective in some dramas), all other characters are written with a hint of suspicion hanging over their heads. This keeps the audience guessing till the very end as to who could be the murderer.

· A limited location: When the murder mystery is in the form of a drama, the locations as to where the crime is committed and where the body is found (if it is a murder) are limited to the size and disposition of a stage. So most dramas that are murder mysteries are limited to the insides of a house or its immediate neighbourhood (that can be depicted through open windows).

· A surprise ending: While books and movies that feature murder mysteries may reveal the murderer before the end and focus on how the crime was committed and how the investigation leads to the arrest of the murderer for the rest of the story, most murder mystery dramas have a surprise ending to a story that’s filled with suspense. The criminal is often revealed only in the last act or scene with an explanation following from the lead detective as to how he/she determined who the perpetrator of the crime was.

In this day and age where forensics is the God that helps track down criminals, murder mystery dramas are a kind of throwback to the days of Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes – the crimes were every bit as dastardly as they are today, but all the lead detectives used to solve them were what Poirot termed “little grey cells”.

This guest post is contributed by Brooklyn White, who writes on the topic of Forensic Science Technician Programs. She can be reached at brookwhite26-AT-Gmail.com.

Killer Wedding Reception

Lee.Mueller@gmail.com (Lee Mueller) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 16:12:00 +0000

From the Daily Triplicate in Crescent City California. Article on Del Norte High School's production of "I'm Getting Murdered In The Morning".

Written by Adam Madison, The Triplicate
The public is invited to a wedding reception Feb. 27 and it’s not going to be over until someone is dead.

It’s all part of a murder-mystery dinner theater event planned by Del Norte High School drama students, who spent part of their Saturday rehearsing in costume at the school.

“The purpose of the play is for them (audience members) to actually feel like they were at a real reception,” said Alisa Rojas, student director and maid of honor.

Attendees can expect to take part in the action, because the players will be prompting the audience’s participation, Rojas said Saturday.

The audience can even fill out a resolution card to tell the players who they think the killer is.

“They can get in on the dancing between scenes, they can catch the bouquet and they can participate during the garter toss,” Rojas said.

The production of Lee Mueller’s “I’m Getting Murdered in the Morning” begins at 7 p.m. on the school’s Multi- Purpose Room stage at 7 p.m., and it’s a Saturday-night-only event after originally being planned for two nights.

The dinner will be catered by Fabulous Foods by Julie (Violante) and includes chicken breast, rice pilaf, salads, Portuguese sweet bread and beverages. And, of course, wedding cake.

Deborah Scott, DNHS theater and English teacher, is directing the performance with Rojas’ help.

Scott said dinner theater doesn’t happen overnight.

“We came up with the idea last October, we thought something with audience participation would be fun,” said Scott.

She kept an eye on her players and held a script up as she talked about the work that goes into a murder mystery, especially one where guests can participate.

“Tasha come on get ready, Robert let’s go,” she yelled, clapping excitedly.

Along with “various strangers and dancer,” according to the playbill, more than 20 students will be acting, as well as serving food at the event. Bride Brenda Montague is played by Shannon Benn and groom Edward Crock is played by Tasha Thiessen.

The price for dinner and a play is $25 for a single person, $40 for a couple, and $17 apiece for people in groups of four or more. Tickets are available at the DNHS main office at 1301 El Dorado Street, Del Norte Office Supply at 240 I Street and from DNHS theater students.

For more information contact DNHS at 464-0274.

What's in Store for Theatre Space

Lee.Mueller@gmail.com (Lee Mueller) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 13:08:00 +0000

When I first entered the amateur theatre circuit in my local area, oh so many years ago, there were at best 4 or 5 groups in the city. Most of these groups were real "Mickey and Judy" type of community theatre troupes, as in: "Hey kids! Let's put on a show! We can use my Uncle's barn and my grandma can make some swell costumes!"

You know, that type of 'gung-ho, grin and show' community theatre.
All these years later, a dozen or more "new" theatre groups have emerged. Many of these new groups border on being classified as semi-professional troupes. That old mom n' pop community theatre spirit is a thing of the past. These new troupes wouldn't be caught dead producing old standards such as "Our Town", "Arsenic and Old Lace", "Blythe Spirit" or any other play that local high schools have long since worn holes in. No sir.
Most local productions now offer up Mamet, Sheppard, Albee, Durang and host of other plays written by contemporary playwrights. This trend is in fact bringing out a new audiences to live theatre as well as veteran audiences who have been numbed by a billion productions of "Bye Bye Birdie" and would love to see a play from this century.

But there's the Rub!

With so many groups springing up, the question of "space" has been an issue. One troupe may run for a season in church space only to loose it the next year. Some theatre troupes bounce from a coffee house to a school to a warehouse but never really planting roots in a given space. It's a tough existence.
At the same time, as a result of the recent economic hiccup, many local shopping malls flirted with the ambiance of "ghost towns". Vacant store after vacant store dotted the once vibrant, climate-controlled consumer landscape.
Somehow, the down trodden "Mall" collective and the Theatre group in search of a home, collided and found common ground. This common ground may have been where once people "Fell Into The Gap" but are now, filing in to see live theatre.
In fact, my own group is leasing a "store" space in a local mall and my new murder mystery play will premiere there. Yes, in the mall. Of course, they don't refer to these spaces as "mall", per se, no, they are "art spaces". Along with a host of live Theatre venues, other spaces feature Art work, pottery, photograph prints from local artists. So, yes it is an "Art Space".
In fact, another mall in a nearby suburb is also allowing Artists and Theatre groups to move into the vacant stores. Perhaps this idea will spread across the country and all the little orphaned theatre troupes will finally have a place to "play".
Mickey and Judy would be proud! Hey kids let's put on a show! We can use my Uncle's Mall!

More on Exposition: Show don't tell or don't show at all.

Lee.Mueller@gmail.com (Lee Mueller) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:01:00 +0000

A standard rule you may hear in writing is "Show don't tell". Actually, you will hear this applied for stage or film writing. Essentially, it's easier for your audience to "see" what they need to know about a character or situation than it is to have a character describe something. Overstating the obvious can insult the intelligence of your audience.

In my previous post on exposition, I used the concept of "telling" about a character named Uncle Henry. The telling came through dialogue between two characters in the guise of a casual conversation. It was established that Henry drank, gambled and was injured during the war. Henry's character background was established before he ever entered the scene. Now, if I were writing a play or a film , I could save some of that 'exposition' by simply allowing his character to "show" some of those details. How? Well, Uncle Henry could enter the stage with a bottle of whiskey in his hand and he could slur his words as he spoke. He could walk with a limp or even use a cane to move about.(Henry drinks) He could be wearing an old army jacket or coat with the Purple Heart medal attached to it.(Henry was in the war) Henry could ask the other characters to loan him money because he was trouble with his 'bookie'.(Henry gambles) Any of these elements would "show" the audience detail of his character without needing to establish these facts in expositional dialogue.

As a writer, one question you may find yourself asking yourself is: what do I really need my audience to know? Do I have to "Show" or "Tell" them everything? What it important to the story and what is just fluff?
That is a question I wrestle with all the time. One great example of a major 'detail' being left out is in the Cohen Brothers film Barton Fink.
Halfway through the film, a female character is murdered and the head is missing from her body. Later on, Barton receives a mysterious package that appears to be a box. The audience is not told or shown that the victim's head is indeed, inside this box, it's only an unspoken idea the viewer 'assumes'.

This assumption carries all the way to the very end of the film, where Barton is sitting on a beach and nearby character asks him, "What's in the box?" and Barton replies, "I don't know." End of film. We never truly know.

A writer may choose to omit certain facts or details. Sometimes the audience's imagination is far more powerful than what it can be shown or told.
I personally think what made "The Blair Witch" frightening is what we didn't see. The great Japanese film director Yasujiro Ozu was famous for not "showing" or "telling" the audience certain details. For example, a story will lead you up to a Wedding and the very next scene will be years later, without the wedding ever being shown. It was implied, the viewer knew about it, why then waste time showing you what you all ready knew?

When it comes to exposition and telling your audience what they need to know, deciding what they need to know or in some cases not know can be a sticky wicket.
The best way to determine this, is to ask yourself: does this detail add to the story? Does it help move everything forward? Or is it just you, the writer, showing off your descriptive skills. Does James Joyce really need three pages to describe a character walking around a corner? (Well, that's what made him James Joyce isn't it? He mastered the art of "telling" which is can be tiresome in a visual medium.)

When it comes to exposition, do we really need to know "What's in the box?"

I don't know.

Writing and dreading exposition

Lee.Mueller@gmail.com (Lee Mueller) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 18:13:00 +0000

One of the aspects of writing that I really dread is 'exposition'. Yes, I do know exposition is very important to a story or play because it establishes bits of information the audience needs to know and/or understand who's who and what's what.
I have read and heard very bad deployment of exposition in plays and stories, sentences such as:

Beatrice: "Oh! Look! Here comes Uncle Henry up the pathway. Uncle Henry of whom the family rarely speaks about since he drinks too much and lost his fortune at the race track. He appears to be limping also. It must be that old war wound he received long ago when he saved his entire platoon during his time France."

For the sake of the story, we now know critical information about Uncle Henry. Details that will hopefully, move the plot along as well as define this "Henry" character.
But in terms of this exposition sounding like a natural sentence or something you would hear spoken in everyday conversation, not so much. It pretty much screams out "Oh! Look! Here comes some very awkward exposition up the pathway!"
So, how do you avoid it? How do you make it sound a little more natural?
One trick (or cheat) I employ to establish exposition and make it sound a tad more natural is to use an "outsider", or someone who doesn't know much about the other characters. For example, in this scene about Uncle Henry, I would have someone in the scene with Beatrice, perhaps a new neighbor or someone "outside" of the loop of information. That way, Beatrice can deliver the same information in a conversational manner. Such as:

BEATRICE: Oh No! Here comes Henry.
OUTSIDER: Why do you say "Oh No"?
BEATRICE: Because, my dear Uncle Henry is a bit of a problem.
OUTSIDER: A bit of a problem? Why?
BEATRICE: Well, he drinks for one thing.
OUTSIDER: Ah! I see. And?
BEATRICE: And he always wants to borrows money. Money that he just blows at the racetrack. In fact he's blown his whole fortune at the track.
OUTSIDER: That's a shame.
BEATRICE: What's really a shame is that he was a War Hero! Saved his whole platoon over in France and got injured in the process. Shrapnel in his leg. Received the Purple Heart. And now, look what has become of him. A limping, broke old drunk.

In this scene, the same exposition about Uncle Henry was established but sounded a bit more natural. I picked up this outsider "trick" many years ago when I was a fan of the old "Doctor Who" series. (the original Doctor Who that aired in the States on PBS, not the New Doctor on SyFy)
Anyway, the character of the Doctor, who was immensely intelligent, was always paired with a somewhat less intelligent companion. The main idea behind this pairing was to a way to introduce exposition in a natural manner. When the Doctor would ramble off scientific jargon or figure out some complex plot point, the (outsider) companion would simply ask, "What does that mean Doctor?" or "How did you figure that out Doctor?".

This is also very similar to the plot vehicle Sir Arthur Conan Doyle used in Sherlock Holmes. The character of Dr. Watson was outside the loop of Sherlock Holmes' deductive reasoning. Watson would ask questions of Holmes and the answers were simply points of exposition. In essence, this "outsider" is essentially a representative of the audience. Their role is ask questions out loud of the characters so that we might understand. It's a great tool for writers and helps everything flow in a natural way.

More exposition cheats, coming soon.

Calling all High School Playwrights

Lee.Mueller@gmail.com (Lee Mueller) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 16:48:00 +0000

For any future playwright who is now in High school. Here is a great opportunity to shine. The Thespian Playworks contest with a chance to get published by Samuel French. Details here http://ping.fm/qp6ff

Irritation To A Murder is now available

Lee.Mueller@gmail.com (Lee Mueller) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 20:37:00 +0000

My newest script "Irritation To A Murder" is now available. It's an updated take on the classic 1930's detective murder mystery with a dash of screwball comedy thrown in. Of course the title is a variation or twisting of the Rufus King, 1934 mystery melodrama play called "Invitation To A Murder".
The plot of "Irritation" is basically a tip of the hat to the old "Thin Man" mysteries from MGM, but set in the present day.

Last Writes

Lee.Mueller@gmail.com (Lee Mueller) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 13:29:00 +0000

I have completed a new murder mystery script called "Irritation To A Murder". A few blogs down you can read about the basic idea for the play and at the time of that posting, I was halfway finished. I am fortunate as playwright to have a theatre group willing to produce my plays as soon as they are complete. Actually, the group more or less "commissions" a new play from me and assigns a deadline, which I always try to meet. "Try" being the key word.

Yes, I admit, I work best under pressure. Ever since I can remember, it has been my "modus operandi". I can recall countless late nights as a kid in grade school, sitting at the kitchen table across from my grandmother, trying to squeak out a book report or an essay that was due the next day. My grandmother would constantly question my "last minute" writing habits and I never could supply a good answer other than, "I forgot about it."
If fact, I can even recall a few oral book reports, where I would have to stand in front of the class and tell everyone about a book I had read. I would always fail to mention that in actuality, I had only read some of the book. I developed a certain knack for 'filling' or 'stretching' certain aspects of the book and even "making up" subplots that didn't exist. I would talk until the teacher felt I was running too long and informed me my time was up. I believe this helped me later in my stage career to become adept at improvisation.

My creative powers seem to shine under the pressure of an impending deadline. I can only write with a 'Sword of Damocles' hanging over my head. I remember a composition class in college that further fueled my last minute tendencies, by providing actual proof that I produced better under pressure than with preparation. (sorry about the alliteration there.)
Anyway, for one essay I chose a topic and set about writing a paper in the 'proper fashion'.
I went to the library and did research. I compiled notes on 3x5 cards, formed an outline, spent several weeks writing, revising rough drafts into a first drafts into a second draft, until I created a worthwhile essay complete with footnotes, references and a bibliography all contained in a slick plastic binder. I got a "C" on it.
For our next assignment, we watched a short film in class and then were required to write a paper within the short time remaining. No preparation, no 3x5 index cards or drafts; just straight forward, stream of consciousness composition. Just like my hero at the time, Jack Kerouac. I got an "A" on it. Of course, I had to show my Grandmother that one.

So, as I was saying, I finished the new script. Most of the play was on paper, I would say 3/4th by the time my theatre group held auditions. I frequently hold off finishing a script for a few reasons, one is to prevent the auditioning actors from reading "how it ends" and the other reason to see what actors the director will select for the various roles. Sometimes, a selected actor will influence the script. On several occasions, I have refined a character in a play based on how a particular actor read for the role. I may have envisioned the character one way, but an actor takes it in a different, new and better direction.

So it seems, having said that, I have finally constructed a reason not to finish something on time. Although, I no longer sit at the kitchen table across from my grandmother frantically trying to finish, at least now I begin writing plays in advance and revised as I go. However, I leave just enough to bring Damocles' Sword into view above my head and get the creative juices to flow.
I sometimes pictures my grandmother up in Heaving sitting at a kitchen table across from Jack Kerouac asking him, "Why?".

"Anybody For Murder"

Lee.Mueller@gmail.com (Lee Mueller) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:06:00 +0000

My friends at Exit Theatre in the the UK are premiering "Anybody For Murder" at The Charles Cryer Studio Theatre, Carshalton February 17th-20th 2010. Check out their website Exit Theatre.co.uk for more info. Here is the trailer:

Murder Mystery Double Feature - Twice

Lee.Mueller@gmail.com (Lee Mueller) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:02:00 +0000

Recently I have had the honor of being a double feature, twice. What I mean, is that one theatre group has staged two of my plays at the same time. Last month, Lawrence High School in Lawrence Kansas ran Some Show (about a Murder) and Dead Air. One play takes place during a low budget cable TV show and the other takes place during a Radio broadcast. Charles Goolsby, theatre director at Lawrence High talked to me about the concept of doing both plays on the same set. I thought it was a great idea. Each show ran alternating nights. In essence, a double feature.

This month (December) it is happening again. West Valley High School in Hemet,California is featuring Death Of A Doornail and To Wake The Dead using the same basic set.

Here is a news article about the event:

By DIANE RHODES
Special to The Press-Enterprise

Murder and mayhem are not typical dinner table topics, unless you are a guest at the West Valley High School Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre.

As part of the event, guests will dine on roast turkey, mashed potatoes and vegetables from Greg's Catering in the banquet hall, which is the temporarily transformed band room.

Then, they will be escorted to the theater to watch the first half of an interactive murder mystery. During intermission, guests return to the banquet hall for dessert and coffee and a chance to discuss all the clues they have witnessed. After returning to the theater, they will be able to question the suspects and try to name the killer. Prizes will be given for correct guesses based on a random drawing from a basket of all correct answers.

"This production was the idea of band and technical director TJ Hepburn," said Stacey Bailey, who is directing the program.

"He will be turning his band room into a mysterious banqueting hall reminiscent of the Haunted Mansion."

"Wake the Dead" is set at an Irish wake and "Death of a Doornail" takes place in a British drawing room setting.

Each play has about 12 characters and will be presented on alternating nights.

Christopher Malandrinos is dual cast and said his characters are pretty different.

"You have to really know your role and stay in character with accents and everything," said Christopher, 15. His role of Edward requires a British accent and Chief Wambaugh is Irish.

Students had to learn improvisation skills along with their lines so they can stay in character while answering audience questions and casting suspicion on their fellow actors.

"I've never done dinner theater before but I like it because it's straight up drama -- singing is not my strong suit," said Sarah Pettis, 15, who plays Inspector Bukowski in "Death of a Doornail."

Sara Barnes plays the exotic dancer and suspected killer Peaches Crabtree in "Wake."

"I'm a big fan of mysteries," said Sara, 15. "I like musicals a lot but with my passion for acting I just couldn't pass this up. It's a lot of work but it's worth it."

"I did a lot of research to find two plays that allowed me to use the same basic set," said Bailey. She said Hepburn, with help from Joe Hameister and Patty Chavez, designed a set for the banquet hall that is "over the top" and can seat 180 people.

Bailey hopes local businesses and organizations will use the whodunit as a holiday celebration -- a way to reward their staff and have fun together. A 10 percent discount is given for 10 or more tickets.

Cost is $25 per person or $45 for two people. All guests receive a complimentary copy of the production's memory book, which is a $15 value.

Performances are at 6 p.m. today, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the school's theater at 3401 Mustang Way in Hemet.

Information and reservations: 951-765-6420.

New Mystery in the Works

Lee.Mueller@gmail.com (Lee Mueller) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 17:14:00 +0000

My local theatre group Affton CenterStage contacted me earlier in the year about writing a new murder mystery for them. I had been kicking around a few ideas so I decided it was time to nail one of the ideas down on paper.
Before I start writing, I begin with a long mental process. As an example, I was inspired by watching a few old movies on TV. One was His Girl Friday made back in 1940 with Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell. It's more or less a wacky screwball comedy with snappy dialogue and rapid fire one liners. I've always had a soft spot in my funny bone for witty word play. I blame the Marx Brothers and Monty Python for that. Not too long after watching that film, I saw The Thin Man on TV. Another old favorite of mine from 1934, which was based on Dashiell Hammett's story. Another fast paced witty story with Nick and Nora Charles as the detective team - sipping martini's and figuring out who the killer was - I thought to myself, I would love to write something along those lines. Where the detective is not so serious and the solving of the crime seems to be an afterthought. "Oh and by the way, the butler did it."
So the mental process began. I refer to it as simmering or fermenting. I take a few vague ideas and let them ferment into something solid. The initial idea was to set a murder mystery in the 40's and have it take place in a Manhattan Penthouse similar to "The Thin Man". Blended with the idea to utilize the witty dialogue as in "His Girl Friday". The more I thought about it, (or let it simmer) the more I felt I needed to make it my own and not just re-do something already done. In one sense I wanted to pay a homage to that 1930/1940's style of witty word play but again, I felt it should be different. In essence, I needed create something new and not to re-do.
I kept the idea of an urban detective story filled with wacky characters, similar to the old movies and carried them forward into the present day. I thought, "What if the characters of Nick and Nora Charles were around today, what would they be like? Would Nick Charles use modern technology and the internet to help solve the crime? Would he Twitter about the case?"
Running with that idea and blending a few modern day events: a villain who is a greedy, corporate tycoon along the lines of Bernie Madoff named "Gatewood" (which was the name of the greedy banker in the 1939 film Stagecoach) and few other assorted screwball characters a solid idea finally presented itself. The mental task of idea fermenting finally was ready to emerge on paper. The process of writing "Irritation To A Murder" has started. In a few weeks... I will know if it's ready.

"Death of A Doornail " and "To Wake The Dead" in San Jacinto

Lee.Mueller@gmail.com (Lee Mueller) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:04:00 +0000

Republished From San Jacinto California Vally Chronicle:

Whodunit? Audience will have to guess

VALERIE DEW / The Valley Chronicle
West Valley High School’s drama department will present ‘To Wake the Dead,’ which takes places at an Irish wake.

By VALERIE DEW/The Valley Chronicle

A man falls out of a window and dies. Or did he jump? Or, better yet, was he pushed?

A scorned wife’s husband is missing. Did she finish him off for cheating on her with Bambi Candy? Or was the girlfriend after his loot? Could it have been the maid?

It’s up to the audience to decide — and if they decide right, there could be a prize in it for them.

West Valley High School’s drama department is bringing its first-ever murder-mystery dinner to the San Jacinto Valley.

For years, Stacy Bailey, the school’s theater teacher, has been putting on murder-mystery dinners for her thespians.

“It’s their favorite party all year,” Bailey said.

This year, the group decided to go public with the mystery.

One of two shows will be presented each night Dec. 2, 3, 4, and 5.

Bailey said they are not telling which show is on which night because they don’t want people who have already seen it to ruin it for others. With a prize given to an audience member who guesses the killer, the actors are being tight-lipped on the whodunit.

One show, “Death of a Doornail,” is a spoof on the old drawing-room murder mysteries.

Bailey said the show is cast with “stock characters,” such as the girlfriend of the dead man, Candy Bambi; the gangster and best friend of the victim, Sal Carbone; and the inspector on the case, Inspector Bukowski.

Shannon Walsh, who plays Candy Bambi, said the show is hilarious, especially her character.

“My character is super smartastical!” Shannon said. “I’m playing the dumbest character I’ve ever played. I’m insane, and it’s hilarious to watch me be crazy on purpose.”

Mrs. Abigail Doornail — the dead man’s wife — is played by Ashley Hassell.

Abigail said her character is over dramatic, which adds to the hilarity.

“I put my hand on my head a lot and say ‘Why, I never!’” Ashley said.

Sarah Pettis, who plays inspector Bukowski, said she enjoys interrogating the others because she does it in such a sarcastic manner.

Joey Gallardo, who plays Sal Carbone, said his character is obnoxious and that adds to the humor of the show.

The second show is “To Wake the Dead.”

It takes place at an Irish wake. The man who died jumped out of a window. Or fell. Or was pushed.

The cast tries to figure out which one of them did the deed, if, indeed, the deed was foul.

Bailey said she worked a lot with the cast on casting their suspicions on one another.

Sydni Bailey, who plays Deena Koontze, said her favorite part of the show is when it is revealed what happened.

Each show has four parts.

The audience will first eat a dinner of salad, smoked turkey, mashed potatoes, and vegetables in the band room, which will be transformed into a banquet hall with a fireplace and creepy pictures.

After the meal, the audience will be ushered into the theater, where they will watch the production.

At intermission, the audience will go back into the banquet hall for coffee and desert.

When they return to the theater, the audience will have a chance to ask the cast questions to help solve the mystery.

Bailey said the cast will answer every question in character, so it’s an improv.

After the question-and-answer session, the audience will cast votes on whom they think the killer is. They will be broken up into groups depending on whom they picked.

Then the killer will be revealed.

After the mystery is solved, a cast member will pick a name out of the group of people who voted correctly. The person whose name is drawn will win a gift basket worth about $100.

Elizabeth Crowley, who plays Stephanie King, said the improv is what she is most looking forward to.

“I like to see who the audience thinks did it,” Crowley said.

Patricia Ayala, who plays Agatha C. Fletcher in “To Wake the Dead,” said she can’t wait for the characters interact with the audience.

“The characters have no idea who the murderer is,” Patricia said.

Sarah Barnes, who plays Peaches Marie Crabtree in “To Wake the Dead,” said her favorite part of the show is the question-and-answer session.

“I got my character down,” she said when asked if she was nervous about answering questions.

Bailey said the two-story set will resemble a haunted mansion.

T.J. Hepburn, West Valley’s band director, is pulling double duty as the set designer.

Tickets cost $25 or $45 for two. Bailey said reservations must be made at least three days before the show a person wants to attend.

During Thanksgiving week, no one will be available to answer the phone, but Bailey said messages will be checked for reservations.

Bailey said the murder-mystery dinner would be a perfect event for an office to attend as a holiday party. Groups of 10 or more will receive 10 percent off of the price.

Shows are at 6 p.m. Dec. 2, 3, 4, and 5.

For information, call the box office at 765-6420.

Brawley Union High School Department does "Some Show"

Lee.Mueller@gmail.com (Lee Mueller) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:57:00 +0000

From the Ivpressonline out in Imperial Valley, California comes a nice article promoting the Brawley Union HS production of Some Show (about a murder). This was the second Murder Mystery script I wrote and as you might be able to tell from the title, was a bit hard pressed to come up with a title. As a joke, I told everyone I was going to call the play "Some Show about a murder". I mean, after all, it's easy to remember. When friends ask what you are going to see, it's easy to say "Some Show about a murder."

Anyway, here is some article about some high school doing some show:

Murder mystery takes stage
By Sara Malan

While traveling through the Imperial Valley, hosts of the talk show “The Ricky & Nickie Rivers Show” ran into tragedy — and mystery.
During the taping of an episode featuring celebrities who will soon be starting their own talk shows, one guest became enraged, deemed “The Ricky & Nickie Rivers Show” a “joke” and a “pathetic side show like all the others” and stormed off the stage.

Shortly after the outburst, cast and crew discovered her body offstage. Phoebe St. Self, a well-known “domestic engineering” expert, had planned to lead a talk show on the topic of excelling at the art of caring for the home.

“I love the smell of Pine-Sol in the morning,” St. Self said on camera shortly before her demise. “It smells like victory.”

It is soon determined that everyone is a suspect.

“Oh, this is great! One of us is a murderer,” said show guest and gossip columnist Gwen Bennet, played by Celeste Alvarez.

The Brawley Union High School drama department will present Lee Mueller’s “Some Show (about a murder).” The dinner theater-style production, serving pizza, opens tonight and runs through Sunday afternoon, with the spotlight on a cast of 11 students and the audience itself at times.

“It was a talk show about talk shows, but now it’s a mystery show,” sums up host Ricky Rivers, played by Rudy Robles.

Drama teacher Jason Contreras said he is really proud of the students putting together the show in only three weeks, especially with the amount of self-directing they have done.

Finding Old Dreams Still Alive

Lee.Mueller@gmail.com (Lee Mueller) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:10:00 +0000

I was recently asked to be on the committee for my High School Reunion. (Bayless High School) The great thing is that my High School was quite small and most everyone knew everyone. Since it was so small and close knit, tracking down familiar faces wont be an arduous task. Social networks like Myspace and Facebook have made finding old friends easy. Which leads me to this story..

I found someone on one of these social network sites from my old High School, not from my graduating class, but someone who was a year behind me. His name is Joe Manno.
Now, I didn't actually know Joe very well back then, but I did know that he was involved in the "Dramatics" class the year after I graduated. I was a grizzled veteran of my High School "Dramatics" department and I was curious to see how this fresh crop of actors would fare on the stage, so I went back to see their first production which as was "Arsenic and Old Lace".
I recall that Joe Manno stole the evening with his portrayal of the playwright/Cop Officer O'Hara. It was satisfying to know that there was some real talent coming up behind me.

And now here it is, all these years later, the smell of the grease paint and the roar of the crowd still running through my system and here's that guy, Joe Manno, on my "New Friends" list. So, I posed the ever original question: "So what have you been doing?"
Well, it seems the "smell" and the "roar" didn't leave Joe's system either. Nope. He's done stand up comedy, appeared in films, won an Emmy for a Television show ("All In One") of which he wrote and starred in. He has also authored several books but more importantly, Joe changes lives. Yep.
Joe Manno, performs a powerful, empowering message in a comedic fun-filled show called "A Fighting Chance" to young people all over the world. His message carries home the fact that each person is unique. There is no one else in the world like you.
I find so much truth in Joe's message as I hunt down old high school friends and discover what they have become in the real world. I mean, back in the day, for all intents and purposes, we just seemed like a "group of kids" sitting in a classroom waiting for the bell to ring. But in actuality, each one of us had our own individual strengths, skills, gifts and talents. That 'group of kids' has now gone to use those gifts and carve out their own identity. And for some of us, our Dreams are still alive. Take a moment and watch this!

Launching New Theater with Murder Me Always

Lee.Mueller@gmail.com (Lee Mueller) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:27:00 +0000

From Appleton Post Crescent - Kara Patterson
Lindsay Cummings isn't fazed by the cramped confines of the 560-square-foot Little Theater stage at her alma mater, Freedom High School.

To launch the newly formed Freedom Area Community Theater, Cummings chose a murder mystery that made the small space work to the 11-member cast's advantage.

"A lot of us were involved with our theater here at school," said Cummings, 19, a sophomore musical theater major at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. "I think the more interest we spark in the community, the more willing they will be to build a larger theater and support more programs."

Cummings and fellow Freedom alumni Andrew Beyer and Kurt Hardy co-founded the nonprofit theater troupe, which today wraps up the run of its inaugural summer show, "Murder Me Always." The play, which includes some improvisation and audience interaction, is a play-within-a-play involving a cast of zany characters.

The final performance starts at 2 p.m. today at Freedom High School, N4021 County E, Freedom. Tickets cost $8 for adults and $5 for children age 12 and under and include dessert during intermission.

A raffle drawing to benefit the troupe will take place after today's performance. Prize baskets include tickets for limousine rides and Weidner Center for the Performing Arts shows, and dinner gift certificates.

Corporate and individual contributions to the troupe so far total at least $2,000, which Cummings said is enough to cover production costs.

For "Murder Me Always,," the actors expanded the show into the aisles. On stage the set pieces themselves are stationary but intricate, including a revolving bookcase and a trap door underneath a staircase.

The set garnered praise from the murder mystery's Missouri-based playwright, Lee Mueller, who visited a rehearsal in response to Cummings' invitation.

"Now, every once in a blue moon, I may get an invitation to a performance of one of my plays, but what I found unique about her invitation was the fact that she was inviting me to visit the play in progress," Mueller said via e-mail. "That was the deciding factor." Mueller said he was "blown away" by the troupe's set.

"I don't want to give too much away to anyone who may attend the production but let's just say there are some 'secret' panels in the drawing room that move the action around," he said. "If I did not think it were too difficult for other theater groups to build, I am tempted to show them Freedom Area Community Theater's set and say 'There. This is the set you must use for the play. Build this.'"

Troupe members range in age from 14 to 25. Cummings said she hopes the troupe will attract younger youth and older adults, too.

"There are a couple roles that called for an older person (in 'Murder Me Always') but we dressed up the younger ones and worked with what we have," she said.

However, the troupe already is meeting one of its goals in drawing people with varying degrees of stage experience.

Aaron Linskens, 19, who plays a main role, was a three-sport athlete in Freedom but had never tried theater. A University of Wisconsin-Madison adviser suggested he take a college theater class.

"I did, and I liked it a lot," Linskens said. "This touches on your creativity and imagination, and I think in Freedom especially they need more programs like that because it's a small school."

Freedom senior Nikki Schommer, 17, has participated in theater since middle school.

"This is my first community theater show," she said. "I like the fact that it gets the whole community involved and I get to see my friends again since they've gone to college."

Cummings said the troupe hopes to raise enough money through community donations, ticket sales and other fundraisers so it can sponsor a scholarship fund for college-bound Freedom seniors who plan to study theater. She's expecting to start it in 2010.

"We'd probably give $1,000 per academic year to one person or split it to two people," she said. "We sent out letters to local businesses when we first started to form the organization. Once we started follow-up calling people and telling them about us, they were like, you guys are really serious about this."

Once it gathers steam the troupe, which has a board of directors and Freedom faculty and alumni advisers, intends to put on two shows per summer, one play and one musical.

A Visit to Freedom

Lee.Mueller@gmail.com (Lee Mueller) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:34:00 +0000

I drove up to Freedom, Wisconsin this weekend at the invitation of Lindsay Cummings, co-founder and President of FACT Players of the Freedom Area Community Theater.
What was unique about this trip is that I was invited to the rehearsals not the actual production of the play "Murder Me Always". Which was a nice change of pace.
I was able watch the show in progress and as well as offer the "story" behind the script - why and how I wrote the play - who the characters may or may not have been based on. You know, the information that actors hardly ever get to learn.
I also had the opportunity to lead the actors through a few "improvisational" games which helps "bond" the group and also prepares them for the "improv" portion of the play - in which the audience is invited to ask the characters questions.
Hopefully, it was good experience for the actors and crew and perhaps I imparted a little insight. I tried not to be too terribly boring. (I promise)
I know it was a good experience for me as I was able to see my play come to life and hear how the lines I wrote were interpreted by actors. For a playwright, it's nice to be able to learn how your work translates: if you have written dialogue that is clear enough and/or scene descriptions that are concise enough for anyone to pick up and understand your intention. No to mention actually 'get' your jokes and references.
I can say that the FACT Players have done an outstanding job of picking up my work, understanding my intention, (and jokes) and running with it.

Murder Me Always Encore at New Bern Civic Theatre

Lee.Mueller@gmail.com (Lee Mueller) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:19:00 +0000

From the Sun Journal New Bern, NC -

Dinner theater murder mysteries by design allow the audience to get involved in solving the crime.

New Bern Civic Theatre’s production of “Murder Me Always” doubles the challenge.

It is a play-within-a-play, with a murder mystery within each production.

“The audience will be initially watching a play that is being done by a theater company and in the midst of this play, it is interrupted by the director being shot,” said Angelina Hardy, who directs the production and also plays the role of the director. “The detective comes out, and the audience gets to interact with the actors and help solve the mystery.”

The dinner theatre is performed at The Courtyards at Berne Village, the fourth time the Civic Theatre has teamed with the senior living community for a production. The Courtyards underwrites the costs, with all the proceeds going back to the nonprofit theater group.

“The reason we do this is to support our local community economy, especially the Civic Theatre to keep such a viable piece of entertainment going in this community,” said Linda McGuire, marketing director for the Courtyards. “It’s our way of giving back to the community for the support the community gives us, by ensuring that we have high quality entertainment continuing in the downtown New Bern area.”

Saturday’s performance sold out in two weeks, which prompted the Civic Theater to add an encore performance Aug. 1.

Hardy said the initial play is set at a dinner party in a mansion.

“It’s a snobby high-society dinner with clique characters, where someone is supposed to be poisoned,” she said.

But the play is interrupted by real foul play and takes the audience on a different storyline.

“I specifically had the actors play the fake play a very distinct way so that when the murder happens, there is an obvious transition into real life,” Hardy said.

As is typical with dinner theatre murder mysteries, every character has secrets and motive and all are suspects.

There is an 11-actor cast featuring some Civic veterans such as Tom Dunton, Keith Boyd, Daryl Harris, Kathy Morrison and Kandy Antwine, along with debut performances by Gayle Albertini and Lisa Hubbell.

Charlie Hall can be reached at (252) 635-5667 or chall@freedomenc.com.

Blog Sitemap

Lee.Mueller@gmail.com (Lee Mueller) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:50:00 +0000

My blog sitemap

48 Hour Film Project

Lee.Mueller@gmail.com (Lee Mueller) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:04:00 +0000

Every year for the past 5 years, I have been involved in something called The 48 Hour Film Project. If you are not familiar with it the idea is this: You have only 48 Hours to write, shoot, edit etc.. a 5 to 7 minute film over a weekend. On Friday evening all the film makers meet and draw a genre -such as "Horror, Sci-Fi, Romantic, Super Hero, Drama, Suspense, Action" and so on. Once you are assigned a genre of film, everyone is given a Character and occupation, a prop and a line of dialogue that must be in your movie. Once you have those elements, you have from 7pm Friday evening until 7:30pm Sunday to make a film. It must be turned in on the dot Sunday or else you are out of the competition.
This year, I drew "Super Hero" as a genre. The character that had to appear was "Ashton or Ashley Brown" - "Expert" (they could be an expert at anything)
The prop we must have was "A Photo of Mom and/or Dad"
The line of dialogue was "Have you ever seen anything like it?"
Below is the result. Enjoy. Feedback encouraged!

"Getting Murdered In The Morning" premiers in Vietnam

Lee.Mueller@gmail.com (Lee Mueller) — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:02:00 +0000

That's right. My work has been produced in the United Kingdom and in Spain but now, The Saigon Players are bringing "I'm Getting Murdered In the Morning" to the Legend Hotel in Ho Chi Minn City May 21st, 22nd and 23rd.

I can't tell you how great that feels. When a playwright first writes a play, he or she just hopes a few people in the area show up to see it. To think that this little idea you plunked out on a typewriter is being produced for a whole different culture half way around the world is pretty amazing.

Here are the details:

Email saigonplayers@gmail.com or

SMS: 0908 546 015.
7pm Thursday 21st, May
7pm Friday 22nd, May
2pm & 7pm Saturday 23rd May
@ The Legend Hotel
2A-4A Ton Duc Thang Street
District 1, Ho Chi Minh City,
Vietnam

Take a Look Behind the Scenes of "Murder Me Always"

Lee.Mueller@gmail.com (Lee Mueller) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 12:15:00 +0000

A few years ago, Exit Theatre based in Croydon, UK. staged a brilliant production of my script "Murder Me Always". I'd seen a few photos from their version and even use some of them on Play-dead.com. From all appearances, Exit Theatre went all out with the play and I really wish I could have traveled across the pond and experienced it. But the next best thing is a series of videos they posted called 'Behind the Scenes at Murder Me Always'. They allow you the viewer to wander around backstage and get a... well, "Behind the Scenes" look. So let's look at the scenes that are.. behind Murder Me Always.

Cascade Community Theatre "Murder Me Always"

Lee.Mueller@gmail.com (Lee Mueller) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:26:00 +0000

The Cascade Community Theatre has announced they will be presenting "Murder Me Always" at the Sno-Valley Senior Center on Friday May 29th and Saturday May 30th 2009.

"Murder Me Always" is essentially a play within a play. Or more specifically it is a Murder mystery within a murder mystery. Well it's both really.

The Cascade Community Theatre is located in Carnation Washington. If you are in the area, I highly recommend you attend.

Check out the details here: Cascade Community Theatre

Blast from My Past

Lee.Mueller@gmail.com (Lee Mueller) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 15:46:00 +0000

Many years ago, before writing Murder Mysteries, among other things, I wrote music reviews for a local St. Louis paper called "Spotlight". Since I was expressing my opinion on local and national recordings, I thought it best to use an alternate name or pen name if you will. I guess I thought that if I used my real name and I happened to write a less than favorable review, the musicians could find me and express their displeasure. So, I invented a name or character if you will.
Quick back story, for years I had this problem, I apparently looked like "Jim" or someone named "Jim". Countless times, I would be approached in a public place or party and asked if my name was Jim. No, sorry, it's not. No Jim here.
Anyway, while deciding what my "pen" name should be, I thought about my Jim issue. I went on to think...Hmmm, you know, there seems to be a "cult" of people out in the world that think I was this guy named Jim. Aha! Perfect! Thus my pen name became.. are you ready? "Jim Cult". Yep.
One of the bands I wrote about and reviewed were called "The Eyes". The Eyes were a very popular local group that drew national attention. Eventually, they were signed by Atlantic Records and had to change their name, (see they did it too) and became "Pale Divine". Well, Pale Divine imploded after one record, but the guitarist Rich Fortus has gone on in the music industry to great things. In fact he is now a member of the newer Guns n Roses.
This past Monday, December 29th 2008, "Pale Divine" reunited for one night in St. Louis at The Pageant and played to a packed house. The reason I am telling you all of this - is that I found a The Eyes/Pale Divine website. On the site, under their "Press" tab, I found 2 of my old reviews listed. I almost don't remember writing them, but I thought I would share a little bit of what I used to do. Keep in mind I was much younger back then, but weren't we all. Here are the reviews:

"Just Released: 'Freedom in a Cage'"
Spotlight, April 6, 1989 (by Jim Cult) all rights reserved.

You may have to listen to Freedom in a Cage more than once to convince yourself that this is a locally produced product. Yes, the Eyes are a local band, and they've just come out with a superior cassette. Hats off to Dave Probst for an outstanding mixing and engineering job. The overall sound quality makes for an aural experience. "Body Fall" pulls you in one side with a few delicate acoustic notes, then dives into a powerful punch of rich harmonies and driving rhythms. "Way Strange" follows with searing guitar work from Richard Fortus. His lead work is like a wild fire that can barely be kept under control. Michael Schaerer ignites each song with powerful vocals, his range and approach setting the musical atmosphere. For example, "The Closet," which depicts a boy who's hiding after experiencing motherus-interuptus in a girlfriend's bedroom, becomes dark an foreboding through Schaerer's haunting vocal approach. Also, take note of Greg Miller's off-kilter attack on drums in the songs - it really adds to the tension of the lyrical content and mood. All ten songs on the tape are wonderfully crafted, there are no throw-away fillers here. The stand out track has to be "Delicate Balance," with its funky, winding tempo highlighted by Fortus' bouncing riff what wraps around Dan Angenend Jr's perfect, popping bass groove.We could go on and on here, but it would suffice to say that Freedom in a Cage is one rockin'-sonic-funk, dance-to-the-music, I-want-to-take-you-higher, get-up-like-a-sex-machine, let-me-stand-next-to-your-fire feast of excellent songcrafting. It's a must hear cassette by a top notch St.Louis band. Nuff said.

But wait! There's more.

The Audio File: “Straight To Goodbye, Pale Divine”
Atlantic/Atco Records
Spotlight, October 1991 (by Jim Cult) all rights reserved.

You may have heard it all by now: Record deal… long wait… name change… blah, blah, blah… et cetera, et cetera. Let’s cut to the exposition and go straight to Straight To Goodbye. You’ve probably heard most of these songs live or at least some of them on Freedom In a Cage, the independent cassette/cd, released a couple years ago.

Well, producer Simon Rogers has captured and kept the heart and energy of the initial compositions. Rogers, who has worked with the Fall and Peter Murphy in the past, seems to have let Pale Divine define their own sound. Categorizing the early Eyes’ sound found lines drawn to bands such as Mission U.K., the Church and so on… but some of the newer material carries hints of older influences. You may hear a touch of Beatles in “Universe” with its Eastern sitar-ish mysticism, a slice of Bowie in “It Couldn’t Happen To You” and even a hint of Hendrix in “Something About Me” with Rich Fortus’ feverish wah-induced fret work. But, of course, similarities are only in the ear of the beholder. Naturally, there is the original Divine sound. The best example can be found in the song “Anything” with its rich melodies, lush harmonies and lyrical quips like: “And if I have to sell you/What’ll you buy?”

A note on the atmosphere that Michael Schaerer’s lyrics present: Let’s just say they are not the “feel good” images of the year – somewhat lost and lonely, seething with neurosis. The only real love song is “Cigarette.”

The overall essence of strong guitar work and melodic presence that is the core of Pale music is enhanced by producer Rogers. The dynamics that one loses in live settings or local recordings, Rogers captures with crystal clarity. My only problem with the recording is some of the placement levels. Greg Miller’s drums are a tad subdued on most songs, with the exception of “Flow My Tears,” where they pound prominently under Schaerer’s tortured vocal. Also, the background harmonies on “Anything” area little light compared to how I usually enjoy hearing them. Aside from these minor peeves, Straight To Goodbye is an outstanding recording. The band’s basic inimitable sound is intact and enhanced on a professional level, allowing fans of Pale Divine or first-time listeners to hear their music in its purest form.

By the way. I did go to the Pale Divine reunion show. And not once did anyone ask if my name was Jim.

Death of A Doornail raises funds for Great Cause

Lee.Mueller@gmail.com (Lee Mueller) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 13:34:00 +0000

LUVLife the High School youth group with First Presbyterian Church in Pueblo, Colorado will be presenting "Death Of A Doornail" by Lee Mueller to raise money for the national nonprofit Project C.U.R.E.

From the Puelbo Chieftain Online
After trips to Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic in 2006 and 2007, the youth group decided to forgo a summer mission trip this year to save money.

Instead, they devoted themselves to raising money to help equip the hospital they helped to build last summer, along with other volunteers under the auspices of Ministries in Action, in the town of Hato Nuevo, just outside Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.

Their goal is $20,000 by the time the hospital opens next year, and they've raised more than $8,300 so far with regular chile and cornbread dinners at the church, calendar and bake sales and other events.

Performances for the Murder Mystery will begin at 6 p.m., starting with hors d'oeuvres in the fellowship hall. The first act of "Death of a Doornail" will follow in the sanctuary. Dinner will be served during intermission, when audience members will be given clues about the identity of the "who" in the whodunit.

WHAT: "Death of a Doornail" dinner theater

WHERE: First Presbyterian Church, 220 W. 10th St.

WHEN: 6 p.m. Sunday November 9th 2008 (Saturday is sold out)

TICKETS: $10 at the door