The Murder Mystery Company
The Murder Mystery Company is a nationwide theater production company based in the United States. Their primary medium is socially focused immersive entertainment, presented as murder mystery dinner theater.[1] As of May 2019, The Murder Mystery Company employed "25 directors and more than 1,000 actors nationwide." [2] It was founded in 2002 by Scott Cramton with local shows in Grand Rapids, MI and now operates in a non-site-specific context primarily in the United States. [3]
History[edit]
The inception of the company came with a region-specific demand for private theatrical events in Grand Rapids, Michigan. With the team of local improv actors, founder Scott R. Cramton initially utilized a fusion of improv techniques and prewritten material to create entertainment structured for the non-traditional live-traditional live-theater format. The Murder Mystery Company was born in 2002, when the initially small scale theater venture, then called GRimprov (based on the location of the troupe) rebranded to accommodate national and international performances.[4] The Murder Mystery Company has sold over 300,000 tickets to public performances. [2]
In June 2012, The Murder Mystery Company had public venues in twelve cities,[5] by September of the same year the business had grown to nineteen venues in fifteen separate states. In July 2016 The Murder Mystery Company had public venues in thirty-six cities in twenty separate states. By May 2017, the business had grown to forty-two venues in twenty separate states. [6] Also in 2017, The Murder Mystery Company partnered with the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island to bring guests a murder mystery weekend. [7] Since then, the company has returned every fall to perform more multi-day murder mysteries. Cramton called the opportunity, his "passion project" and the "ultimate kind of immersion theater" because "it's [Mackinac Island] an entire world. It feels turn-of-the-century...no cars, horse-drawn carriages, a completely different lifestyle." [7] Then at the beginning of 2019, the Napa Valley Wine Train announced they would be partnering with The Murder Mystery Company to run "speakeasy-themed murder mystery tours." [8]
Frame work[edit]
The Murder Mystery Company is headquartered in Grand Rapids, MI.[4] Using local actors in their public performances and hiring local directors, the company establishes hubs of operation in cities throughout the United States.
Public shows are held in a variety of venues including restaurants, banquet and conference facilities, and theatres. In the interactive show [9], there are clues, a fake death, and plenty of comedy. [10]Shows last about 2 1/2 hours during which the audience enjoys a multi-act interactive murder mystery while being served a three-course meal.[1] Cramton wanted to create a theater experience where the audience is a part of the show, so he decided to make audiences a part of the show. "'You walk out and you feel like you were kind of a part of it - not in a scary way by any means. We don't get you up there and give you 20 lines or something,' said Cramton."[11] At shows people are supplied with fake money for bribing suspects and every bribe is accepted and information is given in return. [12] At the end of the show, guesses for whodunnit are submitted and awards are given out to the "Detective of the Night," along with some gag awards. [12] [13]
Private shows are also offered and run similarly to public events, however, instead of The Murder Mystery Company providing a venue through a partnership with a restaurant, the client provides a venue.
Grimprov Method[edit]
The improv method The Murder Mystery Company subscribes to is the Grimprov Method, which was created by Cramton. "'Overall in [traditional] theater, my belief is this: we completely alienate our audience,' says Cramton, citing outdated classic shows as being out of touch with modern experiences and interest. 'We make sure it is interactive theater. The Murder Mystery shows are about the participants. People walk away with stories and memories.'"[14] '"These guys are the real deal, seriously," said Bradley Fitch of Boston. I didn't know what to expect at first since I never really understood how murder mysteries worked. I loved how they incorporated the audience into the show."' [2] With The Murder Mystery Company everyone participates in the game. Regardless of if you are shy or outgoing or your acting background or skill set, "the murder mystery facilitates interaction." [15]
"The appeal of the Murder Mystery Co. lies in the unique framework of theatrical entertainment that is largely improvisational and encourages audience participation."[14]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Hollander, Maiah." Murder-mystery show helps Ugandan orphans", Mukilteo Beacon, Mukilteo, 30 May 2012. Retrieved on 11 September 2012. (subscription required)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Editor, TRT. "The Murder Mystery Company Offers a Killer Nigh of Suspense, Intrigue and Comedy". The Rainbow Times. Archived from the original on 8 May 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
- ↑ Sauchanka, Vera. "Murder Mystery Dinner: An Unusual Way to Spend a Night in Chicagoland". Chicago News. Archived from the original on 8 May 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Martinez, Shandra."How a GVSU graduate made a killing with dinner theater business" Archived 2019-04-30 at the Wayback Machine, MLive, Grand Rapids, 15 August 2012. Retrieved on 9 September 2012.
- ↑ Surach, Melissa." Murder Mystery Dinner Theater Comes to Jersey City, ’80’s Style" Archived 2012-09-20 at the Wayback Machine, Jersey City Independent, Jersey City, 28 June 2012. Retrieved on 11 September 2012.
- ↑ Martinez, Shandra (25 March 2017). "Hidden disability spurs Michigan man to create $7M entertainment company". MLive.com. Archived from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Introducing The Murder Mystery Company at Grand Hotel". GrandHotel.com. Archived from the original on 8 May 2019. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
- ↑ Romano, Andrea. "You Can Solve a Murder Mystery on a Wine Train Through Napa Valley". Travel and Leisure. Archived from the original on 8 May 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
- ↑ Goh, Shirley (29 June 2014). "Murder Mystery Co. In Quincy Combines Dinner and a Whoodunit". The Boston Globe. The Boston Globe. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
- ↑ Bruttell, Nathan. "Briarcliff PTA to Host Murder Mystery Night". DailyVoice.com. Archived from the original on 8 May 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
- ↑ Dewey, Charlsie (18 October 2013). "Troupe's growth is no mystery". Grbj.com. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 McCall, Dylan. "Murder Mystery Company Puts Students' Detective Skills To Test". CSUSMChronicle.com. Archived from the original on 8 May 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
- ↑ Johnson, Shannon. "Thrilling Murder Mystery Comes to Baker". Fallon County Extra. Archived from the original on 8 May 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Larsen, Audria. "Murder, They Improv" Archived 2012-05-25 at the Wayback Machine, Rapid Growth Media, Grand Rapids, 28 October 2010. Retrieved on 11 September 2012.
- ↑ Reints, Renae. "Boston's Most Unique Corporate Team Building Experiences". BostonMagazine.com. Archived from the original on 8 May 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
External links[edit]
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