How solving a Murder Mystery is highly satisfying!
Who doesn't want to be entertained? Entertainment runs a huge gamut of activities but at risk of over simplifying, I venture to propose that there are 2 general schools of thought concerning entertainment. The first is that good entertainment should be relaxing, mindless and repetitive. I site playing games like Uno or watching a movie or even a sporting event. These types of activities let you go along for the ride and the activity without requiring much cognitive thinking on your part. You can "zone out". I don't find any fault with this first type of activity, in fact, I often find myself engaging in these types of activities when I need a break. The second type of entertainment is the type that forces you to use your brain. Examples include games like Risk, Settlers of Catan and puzzles like Cryptograms and Logic Puzzles. It is hard to ignore the self-satisfaction that you get when you correctly solve the puzzle or win the game.
Murder by Pen
Murder by Pen
Dr. Pepper is a guilty pleasure of mine but it HAS to be mixed just right. Nothing tastes better than a fountain drink of Dr. Pepper where the mix of syrup and carbonated water is just perfect, but if the mix is bad or has gone flat... yuck! Mystery novels are also a guilty pleasure of mine but a flat plot or a bad mix of characters can ruin a mystery. As a writer of live mysteries, I actively notice what makes a good mystery, well... good. I've pinpointed 4 things that make a mystery worth reading and have included authors that do an amazing job within these specifications.Criss Rosenlof
Criss Rosenlof has been involved in performing arts since the age of 8, when he taught himself to play guitar. His first acting role was in 9th grade when he played Colonel Crabtree in Blazing Guns at Roaring Gulch. 
He didn't like the way the girls enjoyed sticking him in the eye when applying makeup for stage, so he and his buddy JC decided to learn makeup. Criss went on to work as a professional makeup artist doing Halloween makeup for Taylor Maid Beauty Supply for 10 years, many stage productions and assistant makeup artist for the film Mr. Atlas for Windmill Productions and HBO.
Criss also has worked behind the scenes running lights and sound for many productions. He won an award for best sound from the Utah Theater Guild for Dracula, and best lighting design for The Elephant Man.
Along with acting, Criss is a martial arts enthusiast, holding black belts in Shotokan Karate, Go Ju Ryu, and Taijiquan. He has been studying martial arts for 29 years, teaching for 12 years, and has used those skills to help choreograph fight scenes and other stunts on stage.
Criss' other passion in life is bicycling. He sold his car last year, and has been commuting by bike to work at the VA Hospital where he works as a Dialysis Nurse, riding an average of 100 miles per week. Criss has ridden over 3,200 mi
les in the last year, including completing his first "Century" ride – 108 miles in 7hrs.
Criss has been in 6 shows with Poison Ivy Mysteries in the last year. He played: Klaa' Tookie in Death the Final F
rontier; Bishop Rick in Called to Murder; Stanislov Dimitriev in Club Mystique; Mananan the Wizard in Shadow of the King; Maximillion Murphy in Lights, Camera, Murder; and currently can be seen as Fitz Gerald in Curse of the Scarab.
Jeremy Tritchler
Jeremy Tritchler
Jeremy Tritchler is no stranger to the theater world although the theatre world makes him do strange things. In high school, he played roles in several productions including Barnum, Carousel, Pippin and Over Here!. He then attended the University of Wyoming and became involved with the singing/dancing group Centennial Singers. At first, he was an understudy and then as production stage manager, set designer, and carpenter. During this time, he assisted in a weekend workshop with Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown, as well as being invited to work with the stage management of the Les Miserables national touring company in Denver, CO. He also had the opportunity to work with several high-caliber professionals when he was the production stage manager for the University of Wyoming’s production of Guys and Dolls.
He then married April Vester (Tritchler) and settled down. His involvement in theate
r was somewhat limited until his wife, playing Lucy, convinced him to be her “Schroeder” in a production of You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown. Soon after that production, he found himself working with Poison Ivy Mysteries, again due to his wonderful wife, where he has greatly enjoyed working with this creative group of crazies.
When not on the stage or behind the scenes, Jeremy enjoys spending time in his workshop where he can often be found creating wooden knick-knacks (i.e. children’s puzzles and Christmas ornaments). He has also made several set pieces and props for upcoming shows. He works as a geologist, which contributes to an ever growing rock collection in his shop. He enjoys spending time with friends in the hills and mountains of the West to experience all the adventure nature has to offer. He is currently contracted with Kennecott Copper.
Jeremy has previously appeared as a terrified Ron Weasel in Twilit, and the Full Blooded Princess; “loveable” Dire
ctor Iggie Ego in Lights, Camera, Murde; drunken Doc Ezekiel “Zeke” Holyday in Justice at the Gold Dust’; and physically confused Minnesota Mickey in Curse of the Scarab.
This holiday season, Jeremy will be appearing in his fifth Poison Ivy production, as Billy Scott in Club Mystique, alongside his talented wife, April, in their third mystery together. “I love working with such a creative group of talented artists, but the real joy for me comes when I know I have made one person smile. When that happens, then all the time spent working up to that moment, was time well spent.”
The 5 levels of Audience Participation
The Five Levels of Audience Participation
Our murder mysteries are meant to be fun and entertaining, but this means different things to different people. Occasionally, I will get a concerned caller who is booking tickets that wants to know what audience participation means. Will they be forced up on stage? What if they just want to sit in a chair all evening? What if they want to get their friend up on stage to be involved? What if they want to “star” in the show? What does it all mean?More Articles...
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