HAPPY LABOR DAY

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

Here's the link:

https://twitter.com/killingkompany

ENTRIES ARE COMING IN FOR CONTEST 15

Entries are starting to come in. Here are the rules - give us a caption for the picture below (from an unaired pilot in the 1990's starring myself and Michael Rooker):

 

 

For full entry details, etc., click on this link:

 

KILLING KOMPANY KONTEST 15

CONTEST NUMBER 15

So far the only "entries" have been spam attempts so to our fans, etc - try to win a prize and come up with a funny caption for the picture of myself and Michael Rooker making an arrest from an unaired pilot in the 1990's:

CONTEST NUMBER FIFTEEN!

CONNECT WITH US AT LINKEDIN

Two ways to connect with us at LinkedIn:

We have 342 connections at:

http://www.linkedin.com/in/killingkompany

Our company LinkedIn page at:

http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-killing-kompany---comedy-murder-mystery-dinner-shows

OUR LISTING AT NYC & CO

NYC & Company is New York City's official marketing, tourism and partnership organization. We have been a member for about 10 years now so check out our listing:

THE KILLING KOMPANY AT NYC & CO.

A GUEST BLOG ON MURDER MYSTERIES (AND THE KILLING KOMPANY) BY LISA MASON

 

Caught in the Spotlight – It’s all About the Magic

 

Intrigue, mystery and the unknown! As human beings we are pulled by the allure of the hidden. From the search for the elixir of life through to the quest for inner meaning, we continually look for experiences and knowledge to form and shape the way in which we relate to the world and to each other. By what we know, we measure our perception of reality. Woven among the threads of physical reality and science are the arts; where the sublime and surreal blend like fine wine with our senses to create a backdrop of magic. Nowhere is this truer than in the performing arts.

The genre of murder mysteries has been spearheaded by literary giants like Agatha Christy, G K Chesterton and Dorothy L Sayers. The heyday of detective books between around 1920 and 1950 gave rise to the “whodunit”, creating not just a new word in the English language but an entire sector of riveting entertainment across the media industry.

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/Woyzeck_tavern.jpg

 

Upstaged by Theater

 

As absorbing as books are or as compelling a good movie, you cannot top a dramatic production. This draws in the audience and involves them personally in the plot. We are aware of every nuance, every stage aside, and every sub-plot that takes place; as the audience we become charged with anticipation, creating an atmosphere of suspense which is electrifying. The cast respond to this, taking the tension ever higher until the grand denouement, when all becomes clear and the villain of the piece revealed.

 

Elements for a Good Whodunit

 

A good whodunit needs to be constructed using a number of different elements.

 

It needs a sufficient number of characters for the plot to be complex enough to conceal the real villain of the piece. This allows for a number of red herrings to take the audience off at a tangent before realizing they are on the wrong track and needing to come back to the central plot and start again. The characters need to reflect a number of different personality types from different social strata, with sufficient interconnection with other characters to provide multi-layered motivations for murder; making it more difficult to identify the guilty party. These connections will consist of some that are self-evident and public, while others will be out of the public eye and known only to the characters involved (and of course the audience).

 

Naturally a good trail of clues is intrinsic to any murder mystery production. Depending of course on the setting of the play, these can vary enormously. From pieces of furniture that have been moved or removed, but no one can remember who did it or why; or perhaps a book left abandoned on a pathway outside the building. There might be bloodstains on a carpet somewhere or footprints in a flower bed. The killer makes it his business to cover any possible eventuality of being caught by laying plenty of red herrings. Keeping the audience on edge with a carefully constructed tapestry of clues leads suspicion in one direction and then another; only one central clue needs to be solved to point straight to the guilty party, but which is the critical clue? 

 

Of course a good murder mystery has simply got to have a body. Is this going to be one of the main characters in the play or a bystander or stranger? Who is going to find the body and what are the circumstances in which it will be discovered?

 

Then we have the detective. This is usually either one of the central characters in the play, who just happens to be part of the group for a social occasion perhaps, or a journey. Sometimes though the detective is a passerby or an observer, who gets pulled in out of curiosity and an inability to stand by when they are obviously needed to unravel the chaos and arrive at the right solution.

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Mei_Fair_Lissbeth_Weihnachtsmarkt.jpg/800px-Mei_Fair_Lissbeth_Weihnachtsmarkt.jpg

 

Korporate Killing Kompany

 

Corporate programs are also on offer from The Killing Kompany, with tailored content to cover a wide range of issues for seminars and workshops. Using live performance and audience participation to illustrate and inform the participants on a broad spectrum of topics; these can range from disability and sexual harassment through to conflict resolution and management issues; or even drug and alcohol abuse. The Killing Kompany are able to identify with real life issues and convey their impact in a meaningful and yet sensitive way. While we tend to think of plays being enacted either on a stage, or at least in an area which is clearly defined and separated from the audience, it has become immensely popular to remove the demarcation; with no clear boundaries between audience and players, the drama of the play is all the more intense as the audience is captive and yet set apart in the midst of the scene being enacted around them, unless of course they become implicated as a suspect in the play! This makes for a superb production which it is difficult to say is enjoyed more by the onlookers or by the cast. The Killing Kompany has been specializing in these types of production for almost two decades and is in great demand for their murder mystery dinner shows, which they stage all around the globe by private request. They also stage open to the public shows in the New York and New Jersey areas and are a must for any avid whodunit aficionado.

 

PLEASE JOIN OUR CIRCLE ON GOOGLE PLUS

Here is a link to our profile - join our circle and we will add you to ours.

GOOGLE PLUS - THE KILLING KOMPANY

Google plus for business continues to be a growth opportunity for small businesses and we are a small business - and soon we will be celebrating our 20th year!

CONGRATULATIONS

To Rich Meier of MetLife who won at last night's show.

TONIGHT

A private show at Westbury Manor for MetLife with Kate Konigisor and Melissa Weissbach.

OUR EMAIL LISTS

We invite to join our mailing list of upcoming shows - we have two of them: Yahoo Groups and Mail Chimp and you can sign up directly at our website at http://www.killingkompany.com.

CASTING SEPTEMBER SHOWS

Only two for September - a private show for a church luncheon and a private show for a college.

MEMORIAL

In memory of one our actors, Stacie Linardos, September 13, 1952 - August 17, 2011

PRIVATE SHOW ON AUGUST 21

Next Wednesday we will be performing for North Coast Financial Group of MetLife at Westbury Manor in Long Island - we are honored as we just performed a private event for them this past December so new cast, new plot and new surprises!

A GUEST BLOG ON FUNDRAISING (AND THE USE OF THE KILLING KOMPANY) BY LISA MASON

Getting People on Board – The Psychology of Fundraising

Fundraising is such a major part of our lives these days. From the individual in the workplace trying to raise money for a local good cause; through to charitable and self-funding organizations which depend on the goodwill and donations of the public for their existence. Very often the clincher is engaging people in an activity, stimulating their interest and participation through an event outside their every day experience. There can be nothing worse than going to great lengths to organize a fundraising event, only to find that everyone you know has already supported exactly the same kind of event within the past few weeks or months.

A Positive Experience

A successful fundraiser is much more than the mechanics of organization. The people who are attending the fundraising event want to have a positive experience. Key strategies are to allow your guests to feel at ease and physically comfortable in the environment you are inviting them into. You need to communicate effectively with your prospective donors about the cause you are supporting and what you hope to achieve. People can quickly lose focus if you dwell too much on statistics, so using more descriptive dialogue will keep them interested in what you are telling them.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e8/GMHC_2009_Dinner_Table.jpg/800px-GMHC_2009_Dinner_Table.jpg

Asking for Donations

Dealing with the aspect of donations, using the right language will relax and encourage your attendees. Letting them know what the average size of donation is will set a marker for people to give accordingly. Show them what results are being achieved with the fundraising done previously; this gives hard evidence that money received is put to good use and does end up exactly where it is intended to go. Having a target can be helpful, as people then want to play their part in reaching this and gain immense satisfaction from knowing that they have made a difference. Making it clear that people do not have to give allows them the freedom of choice. This removes the threat of obligation and the pressure that people often feel when faced with the prospect of making a donation.

Allowing People to Feel Good about Themselves

Fundraising gives people the chance to find meaning in their lives; re-connecting with their humanity, their core values and their sense of generosity. People give when their feelings are engaged; when they understand or can put themselves in the shoes of the recipients of the benefits obtained by fundraising. Getting people involved in what is happening and then giving them positive feedback about their actions or performance makes them feel good about themselves. When people are feeling good about themselves, their focus becomes externalized and their positive characteristics come to the fore; feelings of tolerance, love and generosity towards others. Guiding people in the right direction is a delicate and important part of creating a great atmosphere and making a success of your event. It doesn’t matter whether you are holding the event in aid of famine or flood in Africa or fundraising for a local mental health charity; supporting conditions such as bipolar disorder (formerly known as manic depression and affecting around 5.7 million people in the US); or promoting understanding of schizophrenia (a highly treatable brain disease affecting around 3 million people in the US and which falls into three categories: positive/psychotic; negative; or disorganized). When people are in two minds about participating, their feelings are not engaged and this will reflect in the level of donations you can expect from the event.

Connecting with people’s feelings can also be affected by their political beliefs. Liberals tend to respond well to themes around nurturing, caring and protection of the vulnerable; whereas Conservatives are more likely to respond to stimuli based on moral guidelines, respect for authority and the priority of the group over the individual. Any fundraising event which is likely to incorporate guests from both sides of the political divide will need to address how to get both on board without alienating either.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/Purim_spiel_2009B.jpg/800px-Purim_spiel_2009B.jpg

Choosing a Crowd Pleaser

Perhaps almost as difficult as addressing the issues around encouraging people to give, is the decision as to what sort of fundraising event to stage. Understanding your audience is imperative and may make the difference between a successful outcome and a disappointment. There are so many possible events to choose from that it can be hard to narrow that down and make the right decision.

From selling T-shirts to charity raffles, there are quite literally hundreds, if not thousands, of ideas out there. Many large organizations rely on fundraisers hosted by celebrities with show-stopping music acts to round off a sumptuous meal. Smaller organizations do things on a smaller scale but still pull out all the stops to attract potential donors.

A quite unique and engaging possibility is a murder mystery dinner show. Many people will not have had the opportunity to attend this kind of fundraiser before and it brings something entirely new to the fundraising arena. The Killing Kompany has been specializing in providing fundraiser entertainment since 1993 and have a long track record of achievement in making these events both enjoyable and successful. With members of the cast interacting with the guests in your chosen setting, audience participation is virtually guaranteed. Creating a wonderful atmosphere with humor and artistic skills, their expertise will have your guests on the edges of their seats, rocking with laughter and full of the feel-good factor.

SEE PHOTOS FROM AUGUST 13 SHOW

So we get this email:

"We were very fortunate to be seated (Table one) with a great group of folks, young and old.  Had a blast!  I did not get the e-mail of the young man (Ludin) sitting at the table with his wife. He was also a guest suspect. The shy, crotch covering fellow.  Want to send him a couple of photos.  If you cannot provide me with his wife's e-mail because of confidentiality, can I send you the photos to forward to him?  Thanks again.

Jackie Francesconi"
After we got this email, we told Jackie to email us the pictures and we'd post them so here they are!

CONGRATULATIONS

This one goes to our winner of Saturday's August 10 show at The Views At Mt Fuji - Donald Latrella.

CONGRATULATIONS

We had two very fun shows this past weekend and our first "congratulations" goes to our winner at the Friday August 9 show at Dilettos in Westbury....Barbara Flaherty.

AND TONIGHT AT THE VIEWS AT MT. FUJI

TONIGHT AT DILETTOS IN WESTBURY

And thank you to THE ISLAND NOW for this story on it:

http://www.theislandnow.com/dining_entertainment/article_8e1ed7fe-0042-11e3-9b4c-0019bb2963f4.html

And to NEWSDAY for listing it in their Theatre listings.

See you at the show tonight!

MEMORIAL

In memory of one our actors, Annette Hillary-Gordon, October 5, 1965 - August 8, 2009

SPECIAL GUEST SUSPECTS FOR AUGUST 9 & 10 SHOWS

I am getting a lot of requests, especially for the August 10 show so, if you want to make someone a special guest suspect, send me by email one or two pictures, first and last name, and any other funny information of the person from your group that you want to make a special guest suspect.

PRESS RELEASE - AUGUST 10 IN ROCKLAND COUNTY

PRESS RELEASE...PRESS RELEASE...PRESS RELEASE...PRESS RELEASE...PRESS RELEASE....

THE KILLING KOMPANY RETURNS TO THE VIEWS AT MT. FUJI IN HILLBURN

 

August 6, 2013.  The Killing Kompany, New York’s leading murder mystery dinner theatre group, makes a return appearance to The Views at Mt. Fuji, Route 17N, Hillburn, New York, with a brand new comedy murder mystery dinner show BEACH PARTY MURDERS on Saturday August 10, 2013 at 7pm.

It’s a “Beach Party “ but this summer we know is hot with murder so find out who and why while you enjoy dinner and enter the world of interactive audience participation dinner theatre, where professional actors are seated among you and at any time you may be made part of the show.  That’s right! You don’t have to know any lines or do anything other than just being yourself and have fun but watch out: “evidence” may be created in which you are made a suspect.  And for only $65 per person, you’ll not only get to dine, drink and dance but you get a mystery show where you can solve the murder and match wits with the detective. Of course, prizes will be awarded to the winners. 

THE KILLING KOMPANY is entering it’s 20th year, has performed a brand new show each time all over the country, at casinos, restaurants, hotels, for the public and major corporations and charity benefits. As actors, they have appeared on Broadway and on stages all over the country, in your favorite films and TV shows, on radio and in print.

For more details and reservations, call 845 357-5501. For more information on THE KILLING KOMPANY, call them at 1 888 SHOOT-EM.  They also have public shows all over the NY/NJ area and are available for private events so visit their web site at www.killingkompany.com

 

PRESS RELEASE - AUGUST 9 IN WESTBURY

PRESS RELEASE...PRESS RELEASE...PRESS RELEASE...PRESS RELEASE...PRESS RELEASE....

 THE KILLING KOMPANY RETURNS TO DILETTOS IN WESTBURY

August 5, 2013.  The Killing Kompany, New York’s leading comedy mystery dinner theatre group returns to Dilettos in Westbury on Friday August 9 with MURDER AT THE LUAU!, a brand new comedy murder mystery dinner show.

The show is based right out of today’s headlines of political scandals so find out who and why while you enjoy a family style meal and enter the world of interactive audience participation dinner theatre. With The Killing Kompany,  professional actors are seated among you and at any time you may be made part of the show.  That’s right! You don’t have to know any lines or do anything other than just being yourself and have fun but watch out: “evidence” may be created in which you are made a suspect.  And for only $65 per person, you’ll not only get to dine and dance but you get a mystery show where you can solve the mystery and match wits with the detective. Of course, prizes will be awarded to the winner. 

THE KILLING KOMPANY is now entering it’s 20th year, having performed their shows all over the country, at casinos, restaurants, hotels, for the public and major corporations and charity benefits. As actors, they have appeared on Broadway and on stages all over the country, in your favorite films and TV shows, on radio and in print.

Showtime is at 8:00pm and doors open at 7:30pm.  Dilettos was formerly known as Papa Razzi and is located at 1500 Jericho Turnpike in Westbury, NY. For more details and reservations, call Dilettos at (516) 877-7744. For more information on THE KILLING KOMPANY, call them at 1 888 SHOOT-EM.  They also have public shows all over the NY/NJ area and are available for private events so visit their web site at www.killingkompany.com

OUR AUGUST PRESS RELEASE

I forgot to post this on the first although it was sent out to all our groups - so here it is on the blog:

PRESS RELEASE - COMEDY MYSTERY DINNER SHOWS

 August 1, 2013.  The Killing Kompany, New York's leading mystery dinner theatre group, announces its shows through November 2013 in New York and New Jersey:

Friday August 9 at 8:00pm, MURDER AT THE LUAU!, a comedy murder mystery dinner show at DILETTOS, 1500 Jericho Turnpike, Westbury, NY ($65 pp) (516) 877-7744

Saturday August 10 at 7:00pm, BEACH PARTY MURDERS!, a comedy murder mystery dinner show at THE VIEWS AT MT. FUJI, Route 17, Hillburn, NY ($65 pp includes complimentary drink and continental food served) (845) 357-5501

Friday October 4 at 8:00pm, MURDER AT THE FAMILY REUNION!, a comedy murder mystery dinner show at DILETTOS, 1500 Jericho Turnpike, Westbury, NY ($65 pp) (516) 877-7744

Friday October 25 at 8:00pm, MURDER AT THE HALLOWEEN BALL!, a comedy murder mystery dinner show at RICCARDO'S, 21-01 24th Avenue, Astoria, NY ($45pp) (718) 721-7777

Saturday October 26 at 7:00pm, TRICK OR TREAT OR MURDER!, a comedy murder mystery dinner show at THE VIEWS AT MT. FUJI, Route 17, Hillburn, NY ($65 pp includes complimentary drink and continental food served) (845) 357-5501

Saturday November 16 at 8:00pm, MURDER BY ELECTION!, a comedy murder mystery dinner show at MINERALS RESORT AND SPA, Vernon, New Jersey ($85 pp all inclusive, tax, gratuity and one drink) (973) 827-5996 x 3

We will also be back on New Years Eve with a special overnight comedy murder mystery dinner show at DOUBLETREE HILTON, 455 South Broadway, Tarrytown, New York.

For more information call THE KILLING KOMPANY at 212 772-2590 (toll free at 1 888 SHOOT-EM). And remember THE KILLING KOMPANY is also available for private parties. For over 19 years, we have traveled all over the country, from New York to California, performing for major corporations, hotels, resorts, casinos, as well as fund-raisers, birthdays, anniversaries, sweet sixteen's and bar/bat mitzvahs....you name it! For more information, visit our web site at killingkompany.com. We’re also on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and at Blogger!

NEXT FRIDAY AT DILETTOS IN WESTBURY