You’re an actor living in NJ (or in the Philadelphia, PA, DE area), and you’re thinking about auditioning for a murder mystery company. Are you crazy? If you answered, yes, then you have a good chance of being hired! But, all kidding aside, you do have to be a little crazy to join a murder mystery theater company, but crazy in a good way - - - not “crazy” like your mother’s estranged Aunt Esther. If you have a crazy desire to entertain people and make them laugh, that’s the right kind of crazy! And, you say you don’t know what the experience would be like if you were hired? Well, neither did we – the actors of the Riddlesbrood Touring Theater Company – when we first began, but we learned fast, and we love it, and you can too! So, kudos to you for doing some research before scheduling your audition! You’ve found the right blog, for I’m about to tell you everything you need to know about auditioning for a murder mystery company.
Auditioning for a murder mystery company is a little like being a trapeze artist soaring above a circus crowd – without a safety net! It’s exhilarating and unpredictable. You must be ready for anything, and you have to desire the thrill of the unknown and the potential rewards that come from acting like a clown, for if your dignity is important, you should not even think about auditioning for a murder mystery company.(I’m only half kidding, here.) If you embarrass easily or always need to appear polished and in control - - - you’ll be uncomfortable when the audience doesn’t laugh at your dramatic Irish accent or corny jokes. However, if you actually enjoy the uncertain journey of trying to make an audience laugh when you act silly, and you don’t mind taking a chance while seeking the rewards of those audience smiles and chuckles, then you’ll fit right in.
Ask yourself some questions before auditioning for a murder mystery company: Can you memorize a script, but be prepared to improvise as long as you stay in character and advance the story-line in the desired direction? Does on –the- job-learning appeal to you? Are you easy-going, flexible, and good at “winging it” when necessary? Do you have lots of energy and the stamina to perform? Do you like to travel to new places, or do you have a fear of getting lost or of navigational devices with electronic voices? (Riddlesbrood, like many murder mystery companies, is a touring theater group.) Can you change clothes quickly within a space the size of a refrigerator box behind a curtain in the dark? Do you like the way you look in a Zoot suit, a deerstalker hat, or a Victorian gown, or feather boa? Do you look forward to creating comedic characters with exaggerated accents, shuffling gaits or limps, and amusing mannerisms or twitches? Do you enjoy speaking in front of strangers … what about your family and friends? Are you willing, and able, to help unload, set up, tear down and load-out after the show? Is your schedule flexible, so you’re available to do shows? Did you answer yes to some of these questions? If so, then performing with a murder mystery theater company just may be in your future.
When you join a murder mystery theater company, you become more than just another actor in a group … you become a member of a family of performers who are dedicated to making people smile. You’re a critical ingredient in the recipe of fun for an audience hungry for laughs. Because the audience is what it’s all about! That’s why you’ll wear silly costumes that make you look ridiculous, because you love to hear the audience laugh as much as we do! We all love that feeling at the end of the show knowing that we’ve made people happy because of something we created and shared.
In addition to sporadic individual auditions for our various private and public shows that we perform throughout the year, the Riddlesbrood Touring Theater Company holds open auditions four times a year for our main stage shows with out 'Arts on the Move' Program.
So, if we’ve convinced you that auditioning for a murder mystery company is something you’d like to do, contact the Riddlesbrood Touring Theater Company today! Over the past fourteen years, Riddlesbrood has been thrilling audiences and actors alike with their quirky, hysterical murder mysteries and other entertaining comedies. As actors, we’re a diverse bunch of characters, very friendly, and only a little crazy. (Well, to be honest, some of us are crazier than others!) Our Company is composed of actors who love to entertain and make people laugh. Some of us have been around for a while, and some of us are new to the group, but we all share a passionate desire to bring more joy into the world. We’re always looking for new talent as our actors are busy sometimes and cannot commit to doing all the shows, and sometimes we need to replace an actor when we lock an uncooperative one in our basement, (just kidding, again), so we need a large group with a wide variety of talents and skills to fill out our troupe. We don’t hold formal group auditions rather we do them throughout the year – so apply at any time! Visit Riddlesbrood Auditions for information on auditioning for a murder mystery company and send us your resume and some photos. We’ll contact you with details on how to audition.