(408) 831-2583
Everything you Need to Know
THE MURDER
HOW OUR SHOWS WORK
As your guests arrive, the actor(s) casts them as characters in the show. We learn the rules of the game, and introduce all the character suspects during the first act. Somebody will "die" at the end of the act, setting off investigation time, where all the guests ask each other questions to try to get clues to solve the murder. The actor(s) will start the second act and question suspects before we have a second investigation time. During act three, an actor will once again question suspects, making sure all the clues to solve the murder have come out, and then will pass out sheets to allow your guests to make their best guess as to "whodunit." At the end of the show the actor will hand out awards based on who solved the crime.
THE CRIME SCENE
YOUR EVENT
Shows run about 1.5 to 2 hours and our actor(s) would need to arrive about an hour ahead of guest arrival to set up for the show. As a traveling entertainment company, we travel to wherever you would like the show performed. We recommend there being enough room for your guests to sit down during the acts, and to move around during investigation times, but we don't require anything specific for a show to occur.
We do recommend the show be done around a meal - with act 1 being appetizers, act 2 being the main course, and act three dessert. This can be anything from catering, your favourite restaurant food or even just your favourite local take away.
We alter how long everything takes based on the needs of the show - so if your group needs more time to eat in the second act - if you are having a meal, that act will be longer than a group who is not doing the show around a meal.
THE SUSPECTS
YOU! (AND YOUR GUESTS)
We don't tell anyone ahead of time who the murderer is - it's not written anywhere, so that everyone (especially you!) has an equal opportunity to solve the crime. Guests must piece together what motive and opportunity they think is most plausible. For guests who are also characters in the show we provide everything they need to know in the character binders. There is nothing for them to prepare or memorize - even your most introverted guests can choose just to read directly from their binder if they want.
Four out of five Detectives* recommend The Clue Collective's murder mystery shows
*please note these Detectives are fictional, of our own creation and some appear in our shows
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Are you performing in-person shows? What are they like?Following the new CDC guidelines, we're now performing outdoor shows for large and small groups, and indoor shows for small groups. We're excited to see you face to face! Our murder mystery show is immersive and interactive. You and your guests will play suspects, the killer, and even the deceased! Our detective will lead you through the mystery: interrogating suspects and overseeing investigation times. The show takes place in three acts, and you and your guests will work in teams to solve the mystery. In the first act, our victim is murdered. In the second act, you and your guests will have two investigation times in which to mingle and ask questions of the suspects. In the third act, after our detective has interrogated the suspects and all the clues have been gathered, each team will have a chance to solve the murder mystery. One team will come away with a prize for Sensational Sleuth!
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Are you performing virtual shows? What are they like?The show must go online! We've adapted our excellent shows into virtual performances. Guests will play detectives, suspects, and even the victim! We host our events over Zoom (or another platform of your choice, although we recommend Zoom). Before the show, we send out informational packets to all of your guests. The information includes the show's basic information, the Zoom link, and costume ideas (although dressing up is not necessary). For the suspects and victim, these packets also contain all the clues they need to share--no memorization required! The day of the show, the only thing your guests need to do is join the meeting! Our professional actors will facilitate the event and lead everyone through the mystery. Guests will have opportunities to ask suspects questions, and combined with detective interrogations, they will collect all the clues they need to solve the murder. Guests will be divided into teams, and the team that gets the right answer will win the prize of Sensational Sleuth!
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So I'm a participant?Yes. Everyone will be solving the crime. Additionally, some audience members will be chosen to play suspects. Playing a suspect is fun and easy: we provide everything you need. And we'll never ask you to do something you’re uncomfortable with.
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What about before the show?We'll be in contact with you leading up to your show to finalize details and make sure your show will be a fantastic experience.
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There are no fees?There are no hidden fees in our show packages. Other murder mystery companies tack on extra expenses and service charges. When we quote you a price, that's the price you pay, period.
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Do I need to tip?We pride ourselves in paying our actors a professional wage for the work they do, so tipping is not necessary. If you still wish to thank them monetarily, they are free to accept offered tips.
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Should I dress up?Absolutely, if you want to! It’s not required, but it is highly recommended.
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WhoDunIt?You have to solve the mystery yourself! We can tell you, however, that one of the name-tagged suspects is the culprit. But even the murderer won’t know that they were the killer in advance of the reveal, giving everyone in the room the same chance at being Sensational Sleuth.
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Is it serious? Is it funny? Will I be scared?The shows are written as light hearted romps: no one really dies in our shows! However, some parts of the shows are more serious than others, and our detectives always take the solving of a murder seriously.
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How can I customize my experience?No two shows are ever completely alike because of you: we’ve designed our shows to highlight our guests and all our guests are different. We also offer a wide range of customization options for our private parties. Drop us a line at (408) 831-2583 or send us an email at info@thecluecollective.com.
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Is there a minimum age?Each show has a recommended age that can be viewed on our show page.
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How long does a show typically run?1 1/2 to 2 hours from guest arrival to the actors' bow.
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What is the optimal number of guests?We recommend at least 10, and an additional actor for every 25 guests. Other than that, invite as many people as you want! Our show is flexible for any audience size.
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Can I choose who plays what character?When it comes to casting, we will do our best to take your recommendations for guest casting into consideration, however, due to the nature of our shows, someone from The Clue Collective will cast the show and this may not always match your requests.
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Does the show make a good surprise?We recommend letting your guests know in advance that they will be experiencing a murder mystery.
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My guests tend to be late - what's the plan?Tell them an earlier start time. Look, we get it, sometimes people run late, so we give you a bit of breathing room and our actor will wait to start the show for you. However any delays to the start time of your show over 30 minutes will incur a fee to cover the extra time your actor spends on site.