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Copyright
Read about author For
a preview of any of the scripts -- Send Nancy an email
Copyright
Copyright
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Beginning: Read through this page. Then, read the descriptions of the 7 mystery dinner scripts. Look at other pages and pictures to gain a better understanding of what's involved and how much FUN your group can have! Vision: Get a vision of how a mystery dinner theater would work at your church! Who would want to get involved? What would be your purpose - Community outreach? Church fellowship? Fundraiser? Where would everything take place? When do you want to do it? Many church members are involved in the production of the event. In addition to the cast, people may be involved as stage crew, costume makers, prop designers, cooks, etc. An average program and full course meal take about 3½ hours. A dessert theater can be done in 2 - 2½ hours. Request a Preview: Read through each of the descriptions. You'll notice that scripts that are murder mysteries are noted at the top. Naturally, there are characters who have some bad habits or actions. However, these actions are not portrayed as being good or acceptable - instead they have negative consequences!
After reading through the
descriptions, select 1 to 3 scripts to preview. Email your request
with your name and church name to Nancy at
Gather: Don't make the decision alone! Get with others who are interested and discuss which script fits your church best!
ORDER: To order a
Mystery Dinner Drama Script go to
Theater 4 Church.
You will get an email invoice to pay with a credit card on PayPal or
if you prefer - call with your credit card information. Then, after
payment is received, you will receive the script as a PDF Document by
email. PLUS lots of extras to help you have the best event possible! To keep it simple, your $125 payment covers all copies that you make for your cast, stage crew, sound team, etc. Also, you may have up to three performances at the same venue with no extra charge. Naturally, this cost only covers the purchasing organization. You may not allow another organization to "borrow" your script! Please read the COPYRIGHT AGREEMENT. Brainstorm: Get together with your team and brainstorm fresh and fun ideas for your menu, decorations, games, props, publicity, etc! Don't forget to involve people who may not be involved in other ministries! Practice: After selecting your cast, you should pass out the scripts. Allow characters one or two weeks to start becoming familiar and learning their parts before rehearsals begin. Then, I suggest at least 6 weeks of practice - meaning you should order at least 8 weeks before your performance date. Churches have certainly been successful with a shorter time frame when they read the scripts rather than memorize the lines. For the cast, make up a practice schedule that lets them know which scenes will need to memorized by which practice. Be realistic! It's normal for cast members to think that they have memorized their lines and then to forget most of them at practice. This process helps them to see where they need to put in more effort! Don't forget to make practice fun! Laugh at yourselves and enjoy getting to know one another! Bring treats once in a while. Always say thank you to the cast and let them know what they're doing well!!! Dress Rehearsal: Don't assume everyone knows what's in your head and what's going on! Tell them. Give them outlines to follow. This includes the cooks, the stage crew, the sound team, the cast, everyone who is helping!! Mistakes are going to happen during the dress rehearsal but try to keep it moving! Again - have fun!! The Big Night! Welcome!: When your guests arrive, they enter a different world. Every actor is in costume and in character. They answer only to their stage names. Have them scattered around the room ready to interact with the guests. At first, it may be somewhat confusing to the guests, but they'll quickly catch on and enjoy "playing" along! This get acquainted period should last about 30 minutes. During this time, guests mingle, snack on appetizers, read through character descriptions, play interactive games, etc. Drinks, cups, ice should be located at a separate table to give the guests an excuse to get up and walk around and mingle a bit more. Hors d’oeuvres located on the tables are a nice way to make them feel welcome. Host: Find a great host who can guide the audience through the evening. The host should explain what the audience needs to do at each stage of the game. Remember, for many of your guests, this will be their very first dinner theater experience! However, the host should do this in as few words as possible! Presentation: Use the suggested schedule that comes with your script purchase. Do be flexible!! Each script contains a crime. (Most of them are murders.) The audience gets involved by trying to determine who committed this crime. Allow the audience time to question the suspects before they complete their ballots. After ballots are turned in, the final scene is presented. This scene will reveal who did it, how they did it, and why! Interrogation time: (Optional!) The audience loves to be involved by having the opportunity to ask the suspects some questions! It’s fun for the cast as well because they can just ad lib the answers. However, sometimes the cast members have concerns about how to answer these unknown questions. First of all, the cast should be very familiar with their character descriptions. Though only the murderer can actually tell a lie, other cast members can “hem haw” or act like they’re holding back vital information – “accidentally” causing themselves to be suspicious! Also, they can offer suspicious tid bits of information to cast suspicion on other cast members. Example: “Yes, I really loved him. But I’m not sure the same could be said of Rachel.” A second way to help ease the concern is to review possible questions that could be asked. If there is still too much concern, here are some other possibilities: 1 – Distribute pre planned questions (placed in sealed envelopes) to each table to ask of varying suspects. This way the audience is still involved, but the cast knows what’s coming. 2 – Take up written questions from the audience. The host can skim through the questions and omit or reword questions that he thinks could stump anyone. Ballots: After questioning the suspects, each audience member individually completes his/her ballot. They are turned in before the final scene is presented. As this revealing scene is presented, the ballots are reviewed back stage. Winners are selected by identifying those who answered all questions correctly. Winners: If you have more than one winner, then announce all the winners. Select a number between 1 and 100 and allow them to pick numbers to find a grand winner who receives the prize. If there are too many winners (rare), then simply draw the grand winner from the pile. Clueless Award: We find it fun to present this award at every dinner theater. Tell the guests ahead of time that they could win the "Clueless Award"! It goes to the person who is the furthest from guessing the correct suspect and/or reason for the crime. There are some characters in the audience who will enjoy having fun with this one! One example at our last dinner theater a gentleman - whose wife had been selected as a volunteer - wrote that his wife committed the murder. She did it with her killer eyes. The way he knew was that she had used them on him before!! Our prize was a compass to help him find his way! Thanks: Write down the names of everyone who was involved and thank them. Chances are, if you don't write the names down, you'll leave someone out!! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I've tried to include the major "How To's"
on this page. Please read our Guidelines
page and the Schedule pages as well. If
you have any questions or know of an important section that I have
omitted, please take a moment to email me at
THANKS and Break a Leg!! -- Nancy Bond *Because I am fighting spam, emails do not link. Please type them. |
with your name
and church name along with the name of the script you would like to
preview!
*