Mystery Theater Dinner & Script

By: Ann Nelson

(Used with permission)

Instructions for Set up:

This activity should be set up in groups of eight. In each group you will have one person to represent each character and on person designated leader to hand out the clues. (There are six characters; one to distribute clues; one extra chair for anyone who might come in late. They can read clues, or be designated to expose the murders)

Make up a set of character nametags for each table. As the people come in give them name tags and seat them so you will have one "set" of suspects at each table.

Copy the clues for each table. Cut the clues apart and put them in corresponding envelopes. All clue #1 (one for each character) in one envelope labeled CLUE #1, All clue #2 (one for each character) in a second envelope labeled CLUE #2. And all of clue #3 in a third envelope labeled CLUE #3.

In other words, if you think you will need five tables, you will need to copy and cut up five pages of CLUE #1, five of CLUE #2, and five of CLUE #3. Don't give out the clues until you are instructed to later in the activity.

When the table leader hands the clues to each character (at the appropriate time) they should not show them to each other.

The mystery in set around a three-course dinner

Round 1 - salad course or chips and salsa

Round 2 - main course or taco bar

Round 3 - dessert course

Pre-assign someone to set the scene and reveal the murderer. They will need to do some preparation to be ready to do this, so assign them ahead of time so they can be prepared. Now you are ready to begin.

The Activity

You are about to become a murder suspect and so is everyone else involved in this activity. You can prove your innocence only by proving that someone else is guilty. The people at your table must work together to solve the mystery.

As the evening progresses, each person will receive an outline of their character and pieces of information that will be known only to them. You must be sure to clearly and accurately reveal all the facts that you know about yourself and the other suspects in each round. You may not lie about the clues you are given. When someone reads a clue that places suspicion on you, then you need to read your clue, which will change the subject and raise suspicion on a different character. This activity is divided into three rounds. Round 1: First meal course and CLUE #1; Round 2: Second meal

Course and CLUE #2; Round 3: Dessert and CLUE #3.

Do not go on to the next round until you are told to do so. (All tables should stay on the same schedule of starting and finishing.) At the conclusion of the three rounds, you should decide as a table who you believe the murderer is. The solution will be revealed after the final round.

Remember, you are out to catch a murderer. Be inquisitive! Be aggressive! Be suspicious!

The scene is the home of Judge Jones, a former Chief Justice of the

Supreme Court. On this Saturday evening, Judge Jones was found murdered. He had multiple stab wounds and was found lying in a pool of blood. There are six suspects, all with a motive for the murder. They are: (Have each character stand as their characters are called).

Mr Enn - He has always been a fine, upstanding member of the community

Judge Black - A very high ranking, but corrupt judge. He hates Mr. Enn and would like to see him behind bars, but he fears a public outcry.

Sean Jones, J.D. - He is the brother of the murder victim, Chief Judge Justice Jones. He is also a powerful attorney.

Mr. Mult - An average citizen who is a friend of Mr. Enn.

Mr. Fife - Works for Chief Justice Jones (the dead man) and Judge Black.

Maid - Works for Chief Justice Jones (the dead man)

Give the leader at each table the envelope labeled CLUE #1. Tell them to pass them out to the appropriate character. Have them choose one character to go first reading their clue. The clue will accuse another character. Then that character can read their clue to try to cast suspicion at a different character. Have them continue in this manner until each character has read their CLUE #1.

Each table will play the game at the same time, but separately.

As soon as each table is finished, you can serve your first course of

Food.

After all the tables are finished eating, give the leaders at the

Tables the clue envelope #2. Have them read them just like the last clue. As they finish, serve course #2.

After all tables are finished eating, give the leaders at each table

clue envelope #3. Have them read them just like the last 2 clues. As they finish, serve dessert.

While they are eating their dessert, have each table decide who they think is the murderer. Have them choose one person as a spokesman and have them stand and tell who they think did it and why.

Now reveal the murderer.

THIS PAGE IS TO BE SEEN ONLY BY THE PERSON ORGANIZING THE MYSTERY AND THE

PERSON CHOSEN TO REVEAL THE MURDERER.

This murder mystery is taken from the Book of Mormon. But none of the participants will realize that. Study Helaman 8 and 9. At the conclusion of the murder mystery dinner, use your scriptures and relate the story in Helaman to solve this murder.

Mr. Enn is Nephi (Helaman 8 and 9)

Judge Black is all the other judges (Helaman 9:13)

Sean Jones, JD, is the murderer, Seantum (Helaman 9:26)

Mr. Mult is the multitude (Helaman 9:19)

Mr. Fife is the 5 men who went and saw the dead man (Helaman 9:1-6)

The Maid is the servants who ran (Helaman 9:6)

After each table has identified who they think the murderer is and why, the following drama is acted out :

Narrator: This story is actually a true story that comes from one of the greatest books of all time. Many of you have probably read it at least once. Did anybody recognize the story? Let me tell you the story in a little different way.

There was a prophet a long time ago named Nephi. This Nephi was the son of Helaman and had at one time been a judge of the land. But because of the extreme iniquities of the people, Nephi gave up the judgment seat and spent all of his time preaching the word of God and trying to get his people to repent.

Of course, most of the people would not listen to Nephi. The Gadianton

robbers were becoming more numerous and eventually took over the Nephite government. The people were "ripening in iniquity" as we hear it said in the scriptures. But Nephi did not give up. He continued to try to teach his people and warn them about their wickedness and the wickedness of their leaders.

There were many corrupt judges at this time who were part of the

Gadianton robbers. Knowing that what Nephi was saying about them was true, and being fearful to do anything to Nephi themselves, they tried to incite the people to anger against Nephi.

"And it came to pass that thus they did stir up the people to anger against Nephi, and raised contentions among them; for there were some who did cry out; Let this man alone, for he is a good man, and those things which he saith will surely come to pass except we repent" (Helaman 8:7)

Those who were against Nephi were afraid to do anything to him because of those who supported Nephi, and so Nephi again began to preach to the people and to warn them.

Nephi: " behold, ye have rejected the truth, and rebelled against your Holy God; and even at this time, instead of laying up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where nothing doth corrupt, and where nothing can come which is unclean, ye are heaping up for yourselves wrath against the day of judgment.

Man #1: Now we will know of a surety whether this man be a prophet and God hath commanded him to prophesy such marvelous things unto us.

Man #2: We do not believe that he has, yea, we do not believe that he is a prophet.

Man #3: Nevertheless, if this thing which he has said concerning the

Narrator: So the men ran with their might to the judgment seat, and

Sure enough, they found that the chief judge had fallen to the earth and was lying in his blood.

"And now behold, when they saw this they were astonished exceedingly (act astonished), insomuch that they fell to the earth (fall to the ground) for they had not believed the words which Nephi had spoken concerning the chief judge. But now, when they saw they believed, and fear came upon them lest all the judgments which Nephi had spoken should come upon the people; therefore they did quake, and had fallen to the earth." (Helaman 9:4-5)

Now let's back up in the story a little bit. Immediately after the judge

Was murdered, and his servants discovered it they ran and told the people. Meanwhile, the five men came, saw, and fell to the ground. Now let's pick up the story again.

"And behold, the people did gather themselves together unto the place of the judgment seat - and behold, to their astonishment they saw those five men who had fallen to the earth." (Helaman 9:7)

Now the people didn’t know anything about the group across town who had been with Nephi when he prophesied the murder of the chief judge. So think of it from their perspective. The servants run out and tell everyone the chief judge has been murdered. The people run to see, and find these five men lying on the ground. What would you assume? "They said among themselves: These men are they who have murdered the judge, and God has smitten them that they could not flee from us." (Helaman 9:8)

And so they grabbed the men, bound them, and cast them into prison.

A proclamation was sent forth telling everyone that the chief judge had been slain, and the murderers had been caught and cast into prison.

Narrator: The next day, all the people came together to mourn and fast at the burial of the great chief judge. Among those gathered were the wicked judges who had been with Nephi the day before. They began to inquire among the people, saying:

Judge #1: Where are the five men who were sent to inquire concerning the chief judge to see if he was dead?

Person #1: We don't know anything about those five of whom you speak.

Person #2: But there are five who are the murderers, and we have cast them into prison.

Narrator: The judges asked the people to bring the five men to them.

And they were brought and behold they were the five who were sent; and behold the judges inquired of them to know concerning the matter, and they told them all that they had done, saying:

Man #1: We ran and came to the place of the judgment-seat, and when we saw all things even as Nephi had testified, we were astonished insomuch that we fell to the earth; and when we were recovered from our astonishment, behold they cast us into prison.

Man #2: Now, as for the murder of this man, we don't know who did it. We only know that we ran to see as you desired us to and found that he was dead, just as Nephi said he would be.

Judge #1: Nephi must have agreed with someone to kill the chief judge so he could supposedly prophesy it and try to convert us to his faith!

Judge #2: Let's make him confess and tell us who the true murderer is!

Nephi: "O ye fools, ye uncircumcised of heart, ye blind, and ye stifnecked people, do ye know how long the Lord your God will suffer you that ye shall go on in this your way of sin?""(Helaman 9:21)