Seeing an interactive murder mystery can be a treat. With Do or Die Productions currently in residence at Hellas Restaurant and Lounge, it is often more than that. You arrive and are escorted to your table and given an option of entrees, beverages, and the option to order alcoholic drinks, as well. Our food came out very quickly and we were able to chat with the table next to us about theatre and other murder mystery groups we have seen. Everyone agreed that Do or Die has better scripts with plots that make you think and ask questions. While they are all humorous, they often also have very poignant moments and an extra twist that is truly unexpected.
The standard structure of the Do or Die murder mysteries involve a few introductory scenes, followed by ten minutes of 1:1 interaction with the actors coming to individual tables for further exposition of plot and character. The rest of the scenes unfold quickly and suddenly there is murder! A police officer or other law enforcement official explains what is about to happen with the investigation. The audience is responsible for the investigation of the suspects and can vote on the killer – but the ending of the show is “set” and the entire audience can be wrong. It is a formula that has been well thought out and keeps things moving briskly. The length of the show was about 90 mins with no intermission.
The current offering, It’s Murder, Pilgrim! is a Thanksgiving-themed mystery. While most Do or Die shows are set in contemporary times, this one is set in 1865 in the western town of Drunken Gulch with familiar types abound: a sheriff named Duke (Pat McPartlin) , a “Doc” from Chicago (Mike Rogers); saloon owner Perdie Johnson (CJ Crowe); her hostess, Mae East (Erin Tarpley); Cliff Hangar (Matt Wetzel), a young man whose memory has been damaged in a shoot-out at The Drunken Gulch Massacre of 1862; and another visitor from back east, Miss Molly Todd (Amanda Gunther), who is determined to implement turkey dinners for Thanksgiving as an homage to the deceased President Abraham Lincoln.
Comedy infuses the unfolding of the plot, as secrets are revealed and we discover that not everyone is who they have claimed to be. Among the cast, Matt Wetzel delivers many of the evening’s strongest laughs as the confused young Cliff, while writer/director CJ Crowe remains a crowd favorite, casting herself in roles that mine zany or acerbic humor. Pat McPartlin was perfectly cast as the aging sheriff looking very natural in the role.
Do or Die performs a different script every month and apparently can go over two years without repeating one. The age of the audience this night varied from early 20’s to retirees – single tables to what looked to be a group of over 20. The shows should probably be rated PG-13 due to some occasionally risqué humor. It was obvious that newcomers were having a good time and the regulars in the crowd were loving it as always. Do or Die Productions has been around since 1993 so they know what they are doing. With everything that has gone on in this country in the last several years, there is an odd comfort in a dinner and a murder!
For tickets to the remaining Do Or Die Productions’ performance of It’s Murder, Pilgrim! on Monday November 15, 2021 at Hellas Restaurant & Lounge in Glen Burnie, MD… click here.
