Dinner, a Murder and a Mystery: An Interactive Date Night

**Disclosure: We were provided with complimentary tickets to Wanted Dead or Alive in order to conduct an accurate review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.

Sometimes thinking of a fun date night can be a little bit of a challenge. Looking for something new to do or a movie you want to spend money on seeing or a band you would like to listen to can be a fruitless endeavor. Yet, we all need to get out! From time to time, my husband and I like to try something a little different than are normal go-tos for a date night. Life is too short to not be willing to try something new! So, when The Murder Mystery Company invited me to one of their shows, I knew that we had to go! Who doesn't need a little suspense and mystery in their lives--especially when it will all be solved in an evening?


Originally founded in Michigan, The Murder Mystery Company has been entertaining Chicago since 2002. Shows are held at three different public venues, two of which currently have shows. Show themes may vary by venue. Shows are being held in Chicago at Salvatore's and at Millhurst Charhouse in Oakbrook Terrace. We opted to experience a show at Millhurst Charhouse. Our particular show was Wanted Dead or Alive, so we were treated to a gunslinging fun time!

Murder mystery shows are interactive. If you want an evening where you can duck and hide, this is not for you. That being said, your level of participation can be what you want. Each of the shows has engaging themes like the Wild West, a wedding, the 80's and more. If you love dressing up or even just sporting a little flare, go for it! However, if you rather just dress for an evening out with your significant other or friends--that is cool, too! Guests at our show were dressed in everything from full Wild West gear to sporting a little flare like ten gallon hats to wearing their normal night out apparel. So, everything works!

When we first arrived, we took a little time to sit at Millhurst's bar and have some beverages. The bar was pretty swanky and nice to sit at. Next, we had some fun with Western flare line up pictures taken. You need a momento, right? Or, were they actual mugshots........

The seating process was quick and fluid with characters seating us! We got to know our tablemates who would become our teammates. We read over the rules to the mystery and had fun learning some Wild West terms. Chuckles were already streaming from our table as we remarked that we had all already forgotten the vocabulary we learned!

The actors were beyond funny! Each played their role really well and engaged the audience. Members of the audience filled in as suspects. A member of each table is chosen as a suspect. But, don't let this worry you--each suspect is supplied a binder with information about their character so that they can answer questions. One of our table members played the Gunslinger who was the victim. He really got into character and helped make a hilarious murder scene!

Once the suspects are introduced, the audience is able to engage in "questioning." The tables themselves also have clues that other tables can ask you about. We "sleuths" were supplied with bribe money thus adding another opportunity for more fun. Everyone at our table had fun comparing notes and working together to discover the "murderer." The actors acted out another hilarious scene that helped progress the story along.

At the end, each table is charged with determining the criminal. Plenty of laughs ensued as we each presented cases for who we thought committed the crime. I can proudly say that our table did determine the criminal.

If you are looking for something a little different from the norm and you enjoy interactive events, a murder mystery is for you! We enjoyed the challenge that The Murder Mystery Company put before us. The actors were quite entertaining and inspired laughter throughout. We enjoy puzzles in our house, so winding through the mystery was a welcome task. The whole evening was full of lighthearted amusement, something we all need after a long work week!

Things to know:

• Participation will enhance your experience. However, everyone there is there to have FUN. So, don't stress about being the best actor or asking the right questions of the suspects.
• There are two suspect questioning periods. The first was a little rough for us because we really didn't know what to do. But, we got the hang of it by the second.
• Dinner is three courses--salad, entree and dessert. You will need to make a dinner selection before the day of the show. Dinner is chosen from three entree choices.
• Dinner is served throughout the mystery, so be sure to take breaks from questioning suspects to have a few bites.
• The Murder Mystery Company does private events, so you may be able to set up a fun holiday event for your office.
• Gold Circle Tickets provide you with early seating, seats that are closer to the action and memento photos.
• Don't get hung up on doing everything perfectly. We kept realizing we forgot something our instructions told us. The object is FUN and in the end, we realized we could make the evening what we wanted.