From the Boulder Weekly

Secret's Out On Local Public Mysteries
JIndati Doelter buzz@boulderweekly.com You know that someone will be murdered during dinner tonight, and you have the opportunity to be a Sherlock Holmes, joining the hilarious Inspector Harry Buttocks from Scotland Yard in his investigation of whodunit.

Have you ever fantasized of solving a crime or being Inspector Colombo? Death for Dinner is your chance. It's your choice to be an active detective or a passive observer, to become part of the crime-solving team or simply sit back with your after dinner coffee. In any event, it's hard not to enjoy the witty, savvy mostly improvised dialogue of the five actors interacting with the audience. The 2 1/2 hour show is presented as a blend of stand-up comedy and old-fashioned theater mystery in true Agatha Christie style. The show is worth the price of admission solely to see Mr. Buttocks, played to great comic effect by the talented Nick Guida of Denver, who does double duty as the bumpkin victim and the perspicacious inspector.

The reception begins at 6:30 pm, with drinks and hors d'oeuvres. Mingling with the dinner guests are a few suspicious and intriguing characters, not shy of introducing themselves, who express an interest in each of the 60 or so members of the audience. By engaging in small talk with the oddball ensemble or overhearing their remarks to each other rife with dropped clues and red herrings the story unfolds while theatergoers sip on their cocktails and munch on appetizers.

Once the guests have gone through the buffet and sat down for dinner, the performance begins. Each character is on display, revealing past histories and idiosyncrasies that may be relevant to the matter at-hand. One, a Mister Worthington, presents the pretext for the evening's gathering: The dinner group has assembled to hear a talk on making "sound investments," in, what other than, Worthington Inc., which is about to go public. From here the motives for the upcoming murder begin to unfold, as each member of the group has good reason to do in the hapless soul. Sometime during the meal, the atrocious deed happens. The host and banquet captain, Susan Snu, requests the audience to stay calm. "We'll wait for the Boulder Police Department to arrive on their bikes."

Their response time is very fast, "she says, "it only takes a few hours." Much bizarre hilarity ensues, including a conga line and a Sonny and Cher impersonation, until the dragnet descends. The arrival of the Detective dramatically amplifies the hysterical plot. With a tedious English accent and suspicious piercing gaze, he interrogates everyone, and (with audience help) inspects the clues in order to unravel the mystery. References to local Boulder issues and personalities sweeten the evening with laughter. Star Detective Buttocks and the four suspects keep the audience roaring as more and more light is shed on the crime for those who are observant while others are left in the dark.

A cake is served for dessert and time flies while all the clues are gathered. Finally the guests break into teams by table to vote on who committed the wicked crime and why. Using impeccable logic, the murderer is forced to confess and the team that identified the perpetrator is awarded a prize. During the 10 years of mystery performances, Marne Interactive Productions has refined its entertainment. "It all started when friends asked my wife Marne to put on a mystery show in their house," says House Manager Carlos Cuellar (Marne Wills' husband). Today, the show's main customers are corporations that like to utilize the mystery to improve communication between employees, while injecting some humor into the "cubicle world." Marne Interactive Productions performs over 300 corporate and private events each year Colorado area.