Play or Fun? Play AND Fun!

What was the last thing you did for play or fun?

As part of the founding of a new theatre company, I decided to join the Chamber of Commerce for networking. During one of those events, I spoke with some people from a local chain hotel who are interested in some programming. The same was true with a local shop. Ideas kicked around included doing a Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre—they supply the dinner, and we supply the Mystery…and the Murder!

Which is what my advertising poster says. But what murder mystery? You can google them and find some acceptable scenarios to perform. You can also prompt ChatGPT to create a scenario, and it wasn’t too bad. Or I could write my own.

I did google “ideas for murder mysteries” and found a good idea, involving a seance. And then I began to sketch it out. Like the oysters in the Alice in Wonderland poem, “The Walrus and The Carpenter,” the ideas came thick and fast…and more and more and more.

In the space of an afternoon (again with the help of ChatGPT to suggest some character names and provide some biographical backstories), I had a large portion of the piece mapped out; add some improvisational actors, some rehearsal, and a venue—and dinner—and we’ll have a show.

As for today’s prompt: I was writing a play! And it was fun! Time passed so quickly while I participated in what has been my life’s work, and I felt like my entire life in the theatre had brought me to that moment.