Our Mystery Themes:

1930's Gangster theme: "The Velvet Room Mystery"
1940's Casablanca theme: "A Murder in Morocco"
1950's Prom theme: "The Prom Night Mystery"
1968 High School Reunion theme: "Done In Again At Dobie Gillis"
Circus/Carnival theme: "Bumped off under the Big Top"
Country & Western theme: "The Rocking Rodeo Mystery"
Pirates on the High Seas theme: "The Port Royal Pirate Mystery"
English Victorian theme: "Murder at Mulberry Manor"
Medieval theme: "The Curse of Castle Blackmoor"
1978 Disco Fever theme: "Done In At The Disco
Wild West Gold Rush theme

1930's Gangster theme: "The Velvet Room Mystery" (10 up to 80 characters, plus extras)

You may be attending the opening night celebration of the Velvet Room speakeasy. Owned by Dom Marconi, this swank joint is frequented by gangsters in striped suits and gun molls in boas. Remember to leave your weapons outside. Bugsy, the Dom's bodyguard, will be frisking you's hoods. And don't forget the secret 'passwoid' to admit you into the back room gaming tables for high stakes. Silkie Smoke as usual will be singing at the piano bar. Her tunes appreciated by local notables, crooked politician, and arch mob rivals alike. Oh, Oh, a dangerous brew sure to cook up some intrigue!

Hints: This theme has a universal appeal. The guys in the group will love playing gangsters. The gals love those flappers and gangsterettes. Can be staged casual or as a dressy black tie affair. Popular choice for New Year, birthdays, Valentine parties.
Occasion: Opening night celebration of the Velvet Room Speakeasy attended by everyone who's anyone. Time period: early 1930's just before prohibition is repealed. Activities /entertainment include: gambling motif, entertainment/ cabaret show.

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1940's Casablanca theme: "A Murder in Morocco" (10 up to 80 characters, plus extras)

Perhaps you'll be in store for an evening of 40's enchantment and dancing the night away at Mick's Hot Cabana Club in exotic Casablanca. Designed with the same atmosphere and setting as the classic film with Humphrey Bogart, this scenario conjures up a mix of paddle fans, warm nights, Moroccan moonlight, gambling, white tuxes, elegant evening gowns, red fezzes, and rattan. Luscious Loretta and Lucky Lorraine, the entertainment hostesses, dance for dollars with handsome men. Dr. Hypno and Marvelous Marlene bring their world famous mind reading and hypnotism act to the Cabana. Msr. Mean Sweep, Lucille LeSeur, Billy Bub, Shutterbug Simms, Inge Lays Low, Countess Sophia, Colonel Klank, and the Dragon Lady will be there. Will you? Bring your passport, Inspector Moiree will be checking them at the door. But be careful! There's an international crowd of spies and counterspies. A secret formula is on the loose, about to be smuggled out of Morocco. Exit visas are for sale on the black market to the highest bidders. Will you be one? And, of course, beautiful ladies with suspicious smiles abound. The shadows are always crowded in Casablanca!

Hints: Casablanca and Bogie fans will love this one. Lots of intrigue with and exotic atmosphere.
Occasion: A night of intrigue at Mick's Hot Cabana nightclub. Activities /entertainment include: gambling motif, entertainment / cabaret show.

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1950's Prom theme: "The Prom Night Mystery" (10 up to 84 characters, plus extras)

Relive the 1950's at the classic high school prom. (50's formal or sock hop chic is the dress of the day.) At Dobie Gillis High School Gym, you'll meet the cheerleaders (Peppermint Pattie, Ronnie Rah Rah), football heroes (Doug Fleet O'Footie, Moose Muscles), teachers (Miss Wantmore, Coach Bud, Mr. Peepers), greasers (Turk, Johnny Sludge, Annette Fullojello, Ramona Reckless), chaperones, beatniks, and the nerds. Billy Rocket and the Comets may perform if they're not "too cool." Ditto for Martha and the Trendellas at the larger proms. A busy night includes the home ec., hula hoop, and bubble gum blowing contests. Local celeb. D.J. Woo Woo Platter will be on hand to "spin the platters that matter." Mr. Beemis, our beloved principal, will have his hands full with this cast of timeless teenagers. We know you'll want to know who will be crowned prom queen, who has high school secrets to hide, and who has motive for murder.
Hints: Lots of activities. Optional participant contests. Super easy to dress for. Stage with fabulous fifties music for dancing and serve fifties fast food.
Occasion: Prom night or sock hop dance. Activities /entertainment include: Prom queen crowning, rock & roll performing, home ec. contest, "Twist the night away contest," hula hoop contest, and more.

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1968 High School Reunion theme: "Done In Again At Dobie Gillis" (12 up to 82, plus extras)

Come back to Dobie Gillis High ten years later. The same characters as above, only so different. It's a love in woodstock happening with hippies, peaceniks, bikers, dreamers, and schemers. Stop by for all love beads and flower power you can handle. Wow, like be there man, it's so psychedelic.

Hints: Great for fans of our 1950's prom/sock hop theme. Stage your own reunion with all of your favorite characters back again.

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Circus theme: "Bumped off under the Big Top" (20 up to 60 characters, plus extras)

You're invited to a rehearsal and press party welcoming the Beaumont & Barker Bros. circus to town. Three rings, no waiting. Plus the Midway with games of chance. You might win a teddy bear for the lady. Refress with a glass of pink lemonade ("the champage of circus drinks") while B.T. Beaumont, our ringmaster, introduces you to a cavalcade of the most stupendous, gorgeous, strongest, fastest, ferocious, and funniest folks in the history of this glorious entertainment. See Siegfried Rex and Abby the Tabby Tamer display their courage in the ring with wild tigers and lions! Thrill to Sonia the Snake Charmer and her pet pythons. Cross your fingers for the human cannonball. Chuckle at Clara Belle the clown, Snozo the Hobo, and Billy Buttons, but don't try to separate Velma & Louise, they're so close and competing for the same space.

Hints: Wild and hilariously colorful characters. Can be staged outdoors under a tent.
Occasion: Rehearsal/press party to welcome the circus to town. Where: Under the big top. Activities /entertainment include: the circus performers and midway game attractions. Pin the tail on whom?

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Country & Western theme: "The Rocking Rodeo Mystery" (12 up to 70 characters, plus extras)

Your invitation to this year's Country Music Awards awaits you. Come on down to Connie Clayton's Rocking Rodeo Nightclub where Dixie Crystals, Roy Rhinestone, and B.J. Barnes are among the nominees. Tex Tunes is our down home host and he'll be introducing a cavalcade of country entertainers including the Lassoing Ladies, Slim and Sleepy Spurs, The Fudds, and of course the Country award winners. Lots of autograph hounds, photographers, cowboys hats, glitter, and Yee Haw's here. But watch out! You know how those show biz folks are. There's jealousy, double dealing, and big money at stake. And if someone were to get in the way....well, who can tell what will happen!

Hints: Great with a BBQ! An opportunity rush up yer two stepping. Who doesn't like dressing in fringe and rhinestones (or jeans and bandanas)?
Occasion: Country & Western music awards. Where: The Rocking Rodeo C&W nightclub. Activities /entertainment include: The awards show, C&W entertainment, play gambling motif, optional "big hair" and "Dolly" look alike contests.

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Pirates on the High Seas: "The Port Royal Pirate Mystery" (12 up to 54 characters, plus extras)

Visit Dead Man's Den: a pirate hangout in the Caribbean where pirates, plunderers, buccaneers, and dangerous ladies rule. You're likely to find treasure maps for sale and plenty of booty to go around. The Merry Mermaids will be entertaining in the lounge along with Flotsam and Jetsam, a standup comedy duo. (When did these guys wash ashore?) Hey why is there a skeleton sitting at the bar? Be warned: You better offer to buy our friend a "rum toddy" or you could land in the Brig for not paying your respects. Can't you just hear his old bones rattling?

Hints: Fun staged waterside (pool, beach, lake) during warm weather.
Occasion: A regular night of merriment and mayhem at Dead Man's Den. Activities /entertainment include: nautical themed entertainment show. A brig for bad boy pirates and naughty port princesses.

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English Victorian theme: "Murder at Mulberry Manor" (16 up to 60 characters, plus extras)

Take a right at the Moors on a foggy night, and you'll find yourself at Mulberry Manor house for the reading of the Duke's will in this classic English Victorian mystery set in the late 1800's. Lord and Lady Mulberry are your hosts. Denton and Millicent, the very proper snobby butler and maid, greet you at the creaking door. Constable Cribbs, Vicar Wrightly, Sikh Sadji Wadji, Dame Winifred Crump, Colonel Frithingham, Penelope Plumpudding, Bartlett Von Bon Bon, Captain Rumprear, Sir Walter Winston, and an assortment of Lords and Ladies are the invited guests. Some are welcome. Some not. The Dowager Duchess is planning a seance and Countess Valenska is on hand to summon the spirit world. Will the dear departed Duke spill secrets from beyond? Gypsy Germaine is busily working the room: selling potions and telling fortunes. (Maybe you don't want to know yours.) Mulberry Manor is the setting for all sorts of past mysteries, legends, ghost stories, and of course a marvelous mock murder in one of our most sophisticated mysteries yet!

Hints: Perfect for Halloween and Victorian style or elegant settings. Classic British mystery flavor with a little creeping fog and spookiness thrown in for good measure.
Occasion: Reading of the Duke's Will. Where: Mulberry Manor estate. Activities /entertainment include: Reading of the will, seance to contact the Duke, "Victorian" entertainment.

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Medieval theme: "The Curse of Castle Blackmoor" (20 up to 80 characters, plus extras)

Only those who weren't there say these were the dark ages. King Tyrone the Tyrant and Queen Chrysanthemum welcome you the the apres jousting tournament festivities. There will be feasting and frolicking by Jack the Jester, star charts available from Elvira, Mistress of the Stars in the castle lobby, and donations sought by Sister Saintly for another of her long pilgrimages. Sir Jonathan, the Duke of Wayne is still trying to marry off his daughter; Evangeline the Valiant Virgin, (Some say she has been valiant too long.) while Lady Divan polishes up her motto: "Any Knight, every night." Smithy Deadbolt does a brisk business in duplicating chastity belt keys, while Friar Archibald hears the confessions of everyone in our tongue in cheek bawdy bash. Oh! Did we forget to tell you about the Curse of Castle Blackmoor? You'll find out soon enough. One word of warning to all you knights in armor and damsels in distress: Drake the Dungeon Master loves his job!

Hints: Serve food without utensils for a medieval flavor! Lots of tongue in cheek humor.
Occasion: The after jousting contest party and celebration. Where: Castle Blackmoor. Activities /entertainment include: Riddles to be solved, potions to try, lots of medieval merrymakers, troubadours, jesters, magicians, and more.

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"The Butler Did It" (16 up to 60 characters, plus extras)

Can a bunch of butlers (and maids and valets and the whole upstairs, downstairs crowd) have fun at a Butlers' Convention you ask? Are you kidding? With contests like the Butler's Lint Removal competition, the Relay Race, the Best "Pick Me Up" hangover recipe competition and tasting! And what about the Butler's Best Diction contest and the Best "On The Spot" Excuses contest? Well, we've got to tell you that our convention is a rollicking good time, old chaps. Throw in entertainment by the "Reggae Maids" and you've got yourself one heck of an excuse to join the butlers club. At this year's convention we'll be presenting the Most Distinguished Butler Of The Year Award as well as conducting the annual dusting and presentation of The Butlers' Book of All Knowledge. All knowledge did you say? Might that include some secrets that some don't want revealed? We can't tell you here. You have to attend the Convention to find out.

Hints: This one is so easy to dress for: everyone is a butler or maid. Perfect for any style of setting. Generally British in overall tone, but with an international cast of characters that include southern maids, butlers to the rich and famous, butlers and maids who work for mysterious types, student butlers and maids, French and Latin maids, and more. Note: There are both male and female butlers and maids.
Occasion: The Butlers Convention held at the private Butlers' Club known as Teacher's Retreat. Lots of activities and contests staged. Entertainment, of course. At long last you can really say: "the butler did it."

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Disco Fever theme: "Done In At The Disco" Available now. (16 up to 60 characters, plus extras)

Dust off that white polyester suit, polish up those platforms and get ready to get down.
It's 1978: The height of the Disco Inferno dancing frenzy. Where every night is Saturday night and the fever is burning with disco dudes and divas. Boogie with Bianca Jagged, Truman Capootie, Farahrah Faucet, LiZa Spindelli, Natasha Kinki, Calvin Klothesline, and the rest of the "in" people. Dish the dirt with Lorna Lipps, the Diva of Dish. Maybe she'll fill you in on all the inside gossip, spilling a celebrity secret or two. Steve Rubble, the owner of Studio 54.5, is planning a special birthday bash for a big celebrity. We can't tell you who, but we can tell you if you miss this, you'll want to kill yourself in the morning. You don't want to be left out in the cold, so dig out those disco duds, get in line, and hope you're hip enough to get past "Big George." And remember: Staying Alive is a song someone won't be singing when they're Done In At The Disco.

"We like the night life, we want to boogie."

PLACE: Studio 54.5. The most exclusive four walls on the disco planet where only the creamiest of the crop have a prayer of getting in.
EVENT: The opening party of the newly refurbished Studio 54.5.
ENTERTAINMENT: The macho group most teeming with testosterone: It Takes A Village People, We are family and we can prove it: Sister Pledge, The disco last dance queen herself: Donna Diva
DANCING: Do the Hustle.

Hints: Fun, easy outfits. Optional contests and activities include: the disco dance couple contest, look-a-like contests, disco karaoke, disco fashion, and more.

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Watch for upcoming themes:

Wild West Gold Rush theme: "Murder At Miss Kitty's" (size: 12 up to 34 characters)

Miss Kitty's Golden Nugget Saloon is the setting for our wild, wild west gold rush theme. Step right up and get your tonsils washed. Gold diggers, gamblers, prospectors, tourists, cowboys, dance hall ladies, and the Marshall trying to keep the peace. Not so easy when the weather forecast says: Expect shootouts. But, don't worry, you'll be entertained by the Gilded Lilies and Wild Bill's Wild West Show. Snake oil, anyone?

Hints: Just an old fashioned, kick up your heels good time. Casual dress. Great theme for fans of cowboys, westerns, and the old west.

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