OLD GOLD AND BLACK REPORTER
For two nights next week, Benson 401 will turn into a murder scene as the Student Union hosts a murder mystery theater.
A three-person theater troupe will engage students and faculty in an interactive dinner Feb. 27 and Feb. 28. Guests will be given the roles of suspects, victims or sleuths as they try to figure out who the murderer is.
According to senior Corinne Woodcock, the chairwoman of the Student Union Fine Arts Committee, the actors really enjoy interacting with the students. "They always ask for a little information about what's going on around campus. That way they can personalize the show a little more," she said.
The actors change the show every year, according to Woodcock. "Sometimes three or four people die, sometimes one faculty guest dies. It's always different," she said.
Student reaction to shows in past years has been very positive, according to Woodcock. "It's a great opportunity for students to get dressed up and have a nice dinner, and the show is a lot of fun," she said.
According to Woodcock, there will be about 180 tickets available for each night. "We are starting to see tables fill up, but we still have plenty of tickets left," she said.The night of the show, there is a reception at 7:30 p.m. followed by dinner at 8 p.m.
In addition to selling student tickets, Student Union also invites a faculty member to participate in the show. According to Woodcock, they usually select prominent faculty members who are well known around campus. This year's faculty guest is William Hamilton, an associate dean of the college.
In addition to the show this year, door prizes such as T-shirts will be given away.
Tickets for the event are $15 per person and may be bought with meal money. Ticket sales started last Wednesday and continue through this Friday. They may be purchased in the Student Union office, Benson 335, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and across from Pizza Hut from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The $15 fee covers the cost of the dinner, and Student Union pays for the theater troupe, Woodcock said.
The event is sponsored by the Student Union Fine Arts Committee, whose other projects this year have included co-sponsoring the George Winston concert and maintaining the Student Union fine arts collection.