Mystery Solved In Bay Area Murder

As the sun sets over San Francisco, detective Sam O’ Flaherty is called in to solve a heinous crime. Earlier that day, a group of realtors had gathered for their year-end sales celebration in the banquet room of a plush downtown hotel. What they didn’t suspect was that one of their agents would be murdered.

"I’m going to have to question everyone here," the detective announces. "That’s right, you are all suspects. I’m afraid I’m going to have to take you all downtown."

He scratches his head. "Wait a minute. We are downtown. Okay; here’s another plan…"

For the next hour, an interrogation ensues. But unlike most police investigations, this one is punctuated with gasps, cheers, shouts, and most of all, raucous laughter.

These guests are active participants in the latest murder mystery event from Metropolis, a local theater troupe specializing in interactive entertainment for corporate clients.

During their night of entertainment, all the guests get involved in this team-building experience. They share clues, interrogate the actors, play scenes with them, and use their best Sherlock Holmes techniques to draw out the perpetrators. They divide into teams to solve the mystery; the winning team gets prizes and acclaim. But everyone goes away from the show feeling like a star. "The whole idea is to get every person involved," says Aida Coulter, the founder of the company.

"Everyone gets clues to play that make them the center of attention. For a lot of people, this is the only time they are in the spotlight, and believe me, they take advantage of it."

The actors in this company are specialists in improvisational comedy, an art form in which San Francisco leads the nation, and indeed, the world. In these mystery events, the actors start with a basic script, but can change it at a moment’s notice to fit the mood of the crowd, and to allow guests to start their own scenes.

The result?

"Not only is it a great team-building event; it is fun," says Craig Coulter, the director of the event.

Fun is the major component in their shows. Rather than being stuffy; Metropolis’ events are laugh-filled nights of entertainment.

"We find that laughter brings people together. It inspires camaraderie. It makes team-building not only a learning process, but an exciting and joyful experience" says Craig.

The actors all look excited to be there, and each delightful character contrasts with the others. There’s the oh-so-innocent ingenue, the slimy Machiavellian rogue, the world-weary antagonist, and the simple, but determined detective. These players set up an intricate net, and watch as the best laid plans of the would-be criminals start to fall apart, with hilarious results.

This is not a mystery where no one knows what is going on until the end. This show plays with our expectations of "Whodunit?" and turns them upside down. When a player leaves the room, we wonder if they’ve left to do someone in. As the leading lady moves to check something out in the kitchen, the audience yells, "Don’t do it! Mary, be careful!" When someone lifts a glass of wine to their lips, they yell, "Don’t drink it! Someone is trying to poison you!" The actors delight in playing with the mystery conventions. A sip is almost taken, then the glass is put down, then back to sip, until the suspense is unbearable…and then the glass is dropped.

The talented actors have the ability to play off the guests, and make jokes on the spot specific to the group being entertained.

"We get background information from our clients. We tailor each show to their company. We have fun information on the individual guests as well. When an actor comes up to a guest and says, "Jenny, it’s so good to see you again. How’s Tim and the kids? Has the cat’s broken leg healed?", first there is a sense of surprise. Then they accept that the character is an old friend, and they love to play along," Craig explains.

Craig and Aida Coulter are a husband and wife team. They met 15 years ago doing the comedy improv show "TheaterSports". They have been successful in television, radio, and stage, including nationwide tours doing children’s theater together. They have also appeared in numerous corporate training films.

In the 1980’s, Craig took over the directing job for the comedy revue Metropolis. Every week, this ensemble would perform a new show featuring scenes and songs improvised on the spot. Some of the best comedy performers in the Bay Area have been guests or regular players. Craig and Aida were the long-term members that kept the troupe going. About 10 years ago, they started producing shows for corporate events and private parties.

The result was a huge success.

"We are the best interactive theater out there, if I do say so myself," says Aida.

On any given night, the cast has a combined 80 years of acting experience under their belt. As Craig relates, "We hire the very best actors, with lots of stage and screen experience. We deliver the most interesting scripts. And we stage it so that it is the most entertaining night of sleuthing they will ever have."

And they laugh themselves silly while doing it. As Craig and Aida say, "You could die laughing."