Thanksgiving Mysteries

Some of you may know that in my 'other life', I'm the Editor of the Mystery Readers Journal, a thematic quarterly review Journal. My other Blog: Mystery Fanfare is dedicated to the mystery community--reviews, events, books, obits, news and more. Yesterday I posted a list of Thanksgiving Mysteries, and I thought I'd direct you there.

Have a great Thanksgiving! --Janet

Kendall-Jackson Mystery Night

Kendall-Jackson has great wine! That's a known fact. What's been a secret, at least to me, is that their Wine Club is made up of Great Members! Over 50 Wine Club and Wine Estate Club members came together at the beautiful Wine Estate in Fulton, CA, for an evening of murder, mystery and fun! Yes, this was on the Eve of the Election, and the audience quickly became invovled in the "Wine Party" and the next President of the United States on the Wine ticket. A bottle of wine in every household. No, two bottles of wine in every household.

Various members of the group made donations to the "campaign," signed on for cabinet posts and made promises they might be able to keep. Alas, the candidate, Carl Cork, was assassinated that evening. But that didn't cast a pall on the festivities as the Kendall-Jackson Wine Club members rose to the occasion with new candidates from their own ranks.

Murder on the Menu, California's #1 mystery company, perpetrated the mystery, but the evening was accompanied by an incredible three course meal from the private chefs at Kendall-Jackson, fine wines with every course. These three ingredients made for a night the Wine Club Members will never forget.

Gilead Sciences TeamBuilding in Half Moon Bay

Sam's Chowder House in beautiful Half Moon Bay was the setting for two events--one from Murder on the Menu and another from TeamBuilding Unlimited! Sam's Chowder House has great food, beautiful views and a terrific beach, so it's no wonder that Gilead Sciences' Analytical Development Group chose this location for their one day offsite. The weather cooperated, and it couldn't have been a better place for a day of fun and surprises and great teambuilding.

Janet Rudolph wrote the mystery "Analyzing Murder" specifically for this group. Murder on the Menu scenarios always contain information on the group--their goals and objectives, jargon and buzzwords and specific guests. Acted out during lunch by Murder on the Menu's talented team of actors, the mystery quickly involved the guests. Within no time, the guests became the stars. Each table was a team. There were four crimes to solve, and these research and development group quickly tried to decipher clues as they became involved in "the Crime of their Life."

As if this wasn't enough fun and intrigue, Frank Price from TeamBuilding Unlimited, the other half of Murder on the Menu, prepared a series of Wacky Gilead Games for the group. Sand and wind didn't seem to bother a soul as they competed in the 'Wacky Games.'

The Gilead Sciences group learned a lot about each other through both the mystery and the games. This was the objective, and the goal was reached. We didn't have to debrief this group. They got it first time out. Friendships were made, working relationships changed, as the group got to know each other on new levels.

Raj Kaur, the main Gilead contact, sums up the day:

"It was so much fun!! Everybody enjoyed the whole event: the food, the murder mystery, and the wacky games. They all loved the whole idea. We enjoyed every single game. Thank you so much for your services!! You ROCK!! I will definitely hire you for my future events."

Bears That Care: Charity Challenge #2

CHARITY CHALLENGE #2: BEARS THAT CARE

Get in the holiday spirit as TeamBuilding Unlimited leads you in a Bears That Care Teddy Bear team-building event! This is a great way to bring your team together while providing comfort to needy children during the holiday season or throughout the year. The need is sadly always there.

Each team may compete in a series of children's games and challenges to earn team points toward the “purchase” of parts and accessories needed to assemble Bears That Care. The competition continues as each team builds Teddy Bears and designs special Bear T-shirts that represent their team and their company.

Once the bears are completed, they are presented to local organization: Shelters, Police, Fire, Disaster, Hospitals and more.

This Charity Challenge is fun and altruistic. It benefits your team and the children who receive the Bears that Care. It's a Win-Win Holiday party for your Team.

Peter Nachtrieb, Ace Playwright

Peter Nachtrieb, Murder on the Menu's 6'6' witty ace 'detective' extraordinaire, is also an award-winning playwright. Peter has a BA from Brown and an MFA from SFSU. Peter just announced his 2008/2009 season. He'll still be acting with Murder on the Menu

throughout the Fall and Winter, but you won't want to miss one of his shows. He's absolutely brilliant!NOVEMBER: Washington, DC
"boom" presented by Woolly Mammoth Theatre
Directed by John Vreeke, featuring company members Kimberly Gilbert and Sarah Marshall, with Aubrey Deeker November 3 – November 30, 2008
Tickets and more info
“Sex to change the course of the world…” A grad student’s personal ad lures a randy journalism coed to his subterranean lab, where he studies fish sleep cycles for signs of the apocalypse. Will their “intensely significant coupling” lead to another big bang, or is mankind’s fate in the hands of someone watching from outside the fishbowl?"
(Peter will be there for performances Nov 5-9)

Seattle, WA:
"boom" presented by Seattle Rep, Directed by Jerry Manning
with Nick Garrison, Gretchen Krich and Chelsey Rives
November 13 – December 14, 2008
Tickets and more info
(Peter will be there Nov 13 or 14ish -19)

Cleveland, OH
"boom" presented by Cleveland Public Theatre
November 28 - December 20 2008
Tickets and more info

2009
January, San Francisco, CA
Encore Theatre Company presents the world premiere of "T.I.C. "(trenchcoat in common) directed by Ken Prestininzi performances begin January 2, 2009 @ The Magic Theatre
More info TBA!!
On a summer devoid of friends, money and fun, a teenage girl starts a blog about her apartment building. Using photography, recordings, and research she begins to pry deep into the lives of those that surround her. The deeper she goes, the more secrets emerge, and what begins as a lark starts to become dangerous.

Los Angeles, CA: the LA premiere
"Hunter Gatherers" presented by the Furious Theatre Company, Directed by Dámaso Rodriguez
January 24 - February 21, 2009
(Previews January 21-23)
More info and tix:
The Los Angeles premiere of the 2006 Harold and Mimi Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award-winner finds Pam and Richard hosting their best friends, Wendy and Tom, for an annual dinner get-together. An animal sacrifice kicks off the evening, followed by a little more sex, violence, deception, wrestling, and dancing than at previous parties. A darkly comic evening where the line between civilized and primal man is blurred, and where not everyone will survive long enough to enjoy the brownies for dessert.

March 2009, Lousiville, KY:
Anthology Show (title tba), Humana Festival of New Plays, Directed by Sean Daniels
Peter will be writer for the annual anthology performance by the apprentice company
Dates/More details TBA