Couple of Questions

[gfearon]

I teach HS drama at a small private school in Michigan and am thinking about having a Murder Mystery night for my drama class. There are 14 students in the class (5 males, 9 females; 10th and 11th graders). I have never participated in a MM before, but some of my students have.

My first question is if I should seriously consider it? I know you are selling a product, but I would really like to do something fun with them and I know most of them would thoroughly enjoy this. Also, it's very economical. Maybe I just answered my own question...

What should I do about people who can't come up with a costume? I know some of my students may not be able to afford to buy one or create one, and some may not be able to find time or have their parents take them to get one.

This is a super-newbie question; but is the Host an actual character or is he/she a type of narrator? How does the "hosting" work?

What things are needed outside what is already provided, besides costumes/food?

Thanks!

[MiryRoses]

Hey gfearon,

I had similar questions to yours, as I am holding my daughter's Sweet 16 party in a very poor, rural community. I know some of my participants can't afford costumes, and I knew my daughter wanted to host the party herself. I just received our purchase, The Immortal Murders, in the mail and I've read through all the materials.

For costumes, The Immortal Murders is broken up into five groups: The Watchers, the Fae, The Were, The Mage Court and the Vampyr. There are about four people in each group. As favors and as costumes, I am buying each group a craft from Oriental Trading Company or am making them out of cardboard: fangs for the vamps, key charms for the watchers, fairy wings for the fae, wands for the magi, Egyptian collar/arm bands for the Were. This can be done for $20 or less and provides everyone a way to be a character without breaking the bank. Additionally, the theme of the party WITHIN the Immortal Murders is a costume party. So really the kids can wear any costume they can come up with, including toilet-paper-mummy. Some of our girls are going to wear their dresses from the winter formal.

For hosting, our wonderful author has made it so you could set the whole party up and still participate. The only "spoiler" knowledge you'll get is who the victim is, because you'll need to assign that person a backup character. Other than that, you can remain blissfully ignorant. Since you're an educator, I'll give you one caution: Have someone available to help the kids with their confidential booklets which are received during the party, so you can stay unspoiled. We have a couple with learning disabilities and they'll need their booklets read to them. Also, if you choose to do the Immortal Murders, I recommend you play as the Inquisitor or Isis, both good characters for an adult to play in a mixed-age crowd.

*Edited to add: You don't really need anything else but what you mentioned. Everything comes in the kit. It's pretty well-done!

[2coolbaby]

Thanks for helping MiryRoses!

She was correct. The fact is that I never require people to have costumes. Some people do, but like you, many of my guests just can't afford to buy a costume. On our theme pages, I always give ideas for making simple home made costumes. The best 3 costumes I ever saw were created from Goodwill purchases! It is also surprising what you can put together with just a little imagination and I would bet a drama class would have plenty of that imagination.