stagingoptions.htm

Staging Options

Murder by Mail parties can be staged in a variety of ways. While they are designed to run by themselves with no outside direction, actors, or on site event coordinators, they can be staged in a variety of formats if the planner prefers. This flexibility is built into our design.

1- Stage with no actors and no event coordinator: This is the most common way our parties are staged. Stage the party as is was designed: as a self running, self directed event by 100% guest participation. This was how the party was designed to run and they have been doing so for twenty years and several thousand events without a hitch.

2- Stage using some "actor" or volunteers playing a few key roles. This is less common. Stage the party with some characters being played by actors (professional or volunteer). This is easily arranged for in your local area.

3- Stage with the assistance of a professional event planner and coordinator. We can work with an event planner in your local area or arrange for a planner through Murder by Mail.

This method is sometimes used by planners staging a very large event such as a fund raiser or corporate event. Stage the party with professional event planner assistance.
Some planners who are staging very large parties with the help of caterers, casino operators, disc jockeys, live musicians, professional decorators, etc. may find it helpful to have an event planner act as a liaison with these professionals during both the publicizing phase and to be on hand during the event to assist with host-like, management duties.

If you are opting to have an on site professional coordinator or facilitator at your event, we will be happy to work with the professional you have chosen from your local area, assist you in selecting one, or arrange for assistance through Murder by Mail. Note: The use of a professional event coordinator is not included in cost of our materials.

Deciding whether or not to work with an event planner.

Typical duties for the on site coordinator at the mystery event include some or all of the following (depending on the planner's needs and wishes):
• Ahead of time: Planning, site choice, choosing caterers, acting as a liaison with other event professionals, decorating, party space layout, setting up tables, chairs, furnishings, providing music and playback equipment, disc jockeys, etc.
• Overseeing service providers at your event: Coordinating caterers and food service set up. Telling the caterer when to set up, clear, refill, etc. (Although most caterers have the ability to coordinate this on their own, some planners prefer to have "their" person on hand to oversee this should any glitches occur.)
• Overseeing staff: Wait staff, casino staff, decorating staff, etc. Depending on how elaborate and how many service professionals you may use in the planning and staging of your event, the coordinator can act as a liaison between the party planner and these professionals both before and during the event.
• Traffic control: At the event: making sure guests know where various facilities are located, such as restrooms, exits, closets, activity rooms, telephones, etc.
• Timing: Although the characters who are actually playing out the activities have clear instructions on the timing of various events and these events are always tied to the momentum of the party, the on site coordinator can prompt characters, should the timing need to be tightened or conversely stretched out. Note: This is also a function which can be coordinated by the party planner at the event and whose call it is anyway. • General assistance: answering guest questions, controlling lighting, heat, and A/C, providing services such as getting more chairs, helping to rearrange furniture if needed.

The choice:

• While most planners opt not to have an on site coordinator, even for large events (especially if they are already working with a paid or volunteer staff), working with an event coordinator can alleviate the planner's concerns with regard to on site management of party activities and free up your time before and during the event.
• Often it is a case that if the party is very large in size, the planner feels that the additional expense of hiring an event coordinator is worth the cost, in order to reduce the planner's overall work and to add the extra insurance of having someone on hand to assist when, and if, needed.
• It is also the case that even for large events, some planners are totally "hands on" types who prefer to carry out the functions of an event coordinator themselves, and so therefore, skip the services of the independent event planner.

The choice is yours. We are happy to work with you either way you decide to go. We make ourselves available to you, your staff, your service providers, and event planners.

We do recommend that should you opt to go with a professional event coordinator, you pick one who knows your area and who has experience working with size events comparable to the one you are staging.

Remember: the coordinator's function is all about oversight and numbers of people. This should be their area of expertise.

Murder by Mail's job is all about the mystery and the overall design plan of the event. This is our area of expertise and you can rely on our twenty years of experience in creating the best interactive mystery theme parties out there as your insurance policy.