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FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
Why
should we have a mystery event?
If you want the best in interactive entertainment, look no further.
Our comedy mystery shows are great team-building events. It
is great entertainment, and the audience is part of the show.
People can participate as much or as little as they want. Besides
the fun of interacting with the performers & working together
to solve the crimes, our presentations are comedy events. The
accent is on FUN.
Corporations have brought us in for the closing dinner of training
programs and offsite meetings. For private parties, we have
been an ideal way to top last year’s party. (The only problem
is trying to top us next year.) Some companies hire us just
to give their employees a treat at their annual party. (Shh. Some companies write it off as a team-building event.) Remember
to book early for your event.
We know you want the best. Who doesn’t? We are rated #1
in customer satisfaction. For some rave reviews, click
here. |
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What
happens? How is the group involved?
Our shows are tailored to each client, using info from your
daily work or from in-house info provided to add fun to the quest. We time each event so that it lasts the duration
of a dinner or luncheon party. The actors are there when the
guests arrive, and the play is performed throughout the dinner
or luncheon. Upon arrival, each guest gets a program explaining
the show and how to play the game. Each guest gets a different
clue to be played with the actors during the show. The more
clues that are played, the easier it is to unravel the crimes.
When the culminating action (usually a murder) happens toward
the end of the meal, the detective has all the guests break
into teams to solve the mystery. The winning table gets acclaim
and prizes. For a article describing of one of our events, click
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Where
is your theatre?
We are a mobile theatre that goes to wherever your event is held. Each performance is a unique event, happening
at a different site. We have performed in hotel banquet rooms,
historical buildings, homes, restaurants, on yachts, at country
clubs, in offices. You get to choose. Our motto: Have Show,
Will Travel.
Where
should we have it?
We can perform our shows almost anywhere.
We have found, however, that the shows work best when they
are indoors, in a space where everyone can see the action
at the same time. Banquet halls and meeting rooms in hotels
are ideal.
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What
size group is best?
We can perform for any size group. It depends how intimate
or how grand you want it.
How many actors do you use?
We have found that the perfect size for a comedy mystery is
5 actors, and a 1-3 person tech crew. (Our shows include lights
& sound, and music).
How long is the show?
We time it to your event. You’re the boss. Most of our
events run between 90 minutes and two hours (the duration
of a dinner party).
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How
much does the audience have to get involved? Do they have
to go onstage?
The great thing about our shows is that each audience
member can participate as much or as little as they like.
No one is forced to go onstage; no one has to play the clues
they are given. Most people love to
come up and be a star. Group participation has never been
a problem. Our actors are trained improvisers who are great
at getting people involved. For testimonials from our clients,
click here.
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Why
is Metropolis the best?
Unlike other murder mystery companies, ours is made of professional
theatre people – actors, directors, playwrights –
who know how to put on a terrific presentation. All of our
performers have at least 10 years experience doing interactive
improv comedy. Our actors are all working professionals. With the best story, the best production values,
and the best cast; our comedy mystery show is a sure-fire
hit.
How
much is it?
The cost for a Metropolis show is $2,950 including
sound, lights, improvised music and peripheral materials (programs, clues,
etc.). Our "period piece" shows ("A Dickens
of A Christmas", "Wild West Shenanigans") are
$3,450. There is a small travel fee for shows more than 30
miles from San Francisco. If there are extra technical needs
(video projection screens, etc.) or if the show involves a
greater time commitment (performing the show in another state,
etc), the price would be higher.
If you want something other than a murder mystery, fear not.
We have different kind of programs to fit almost any budget.
How
much time do you need? How far in advance should we book?
For us, it is best to
book the event at least 3 weeks in advance so we have ample time to write, cast and rehearse the show. If we have a signed
contract and deposit received a month before the show, we
can be confident that you will be getting the best show and
the best cast possible.
Is
there anything else we should know?
Technical needs for each individual show will be discussed
with the clients, but here’s the overview: The client
provides the site, and takes care of the food/beverage service.
They provide free parking for our cast & crew, who show
up on the day of the event 3 hours prior to the arrival of
the guests. We rehearse the show, and set up the lights &
sound system. Part of the contract calls for a meal service
for the actors & crew 90 minutes before the guests arrive.
(For the actors, it’s an 8 hour day with travel. If you
give them a meal, they won’t be staring at the guest’s
dinner through the whole show.)
What we need onsite: a staging area (an area big enough to
comfortably fit 5 actors), a tech area (an area with a table
for the stage manager and equipment, a place for a spotlight
and operator, room for the speakers on tripods in the corners
of the room), a backstage area big enough to hold a table
and 8 chairs (preferably with a clothing rack and water for
the actors). The backstage area should be close to the playing
area and must be available to the actors for the entire duration
of the event and the 3 hours prior to the event.
For party planners needing background in order to "pitch"
a Metropolis show, click here.
We want to book a Metropolis show! How do we do it?
To talk to
an actual human being,
our phone number is (415) 461-7695. In case we are at an event
(and we apologize in advance), please leave a message and we'll get back to you as soon as we can. To send us an email, click the link at the bottom of the page.
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