| Formation | July 2014 |
|---|---|
| Type | Theatre group |
| Purpose | Murder Mysteries |
| Location | |
Artistic director(s) | John Coon |
| Website | http://www.octobertheatrecompanyinc.com |
The October Theatre Company Inc. was founded by John Coon and Grace Shumski-Coon in 2014 as a nonprofit Vermont theatre organization. The company started its first season with a production of Arthur Miller's The Crucible [1] and went on to organize Halloween parties and horror shows. [2] The company now primarily performs murder mysteries at locations around northern Vermont. [3]
Early History
October Theatre Company Inc. was originally titled 'October Productions' when it was founded in 2014. [4] The first production by the company was Arthur Miller's The Crucible. The show was performed in July 2014 at the Whitcomb Barn in Essex, Vermont and featured authentic wool costumes designed by Becca Janney. [5] Following this production, the company name was changed to October Theatre Company Inc. as the new company performed a Halloween dance fundraiser and several short scenes on the Halloween Express in Burlington, Vermont. [6]
Murder Mysteries
North Hero House
In early 2015, Walter Blasberg of the North Hero House Inn and Restaurant decided to offer murder mystery dinners at his restaurant. Actor Kenneth Kimmins suggested that the October Theatre Company Inc. might be interested in performing these mystery shows. After a conversation with executive director John Coon, Blasberg hired the October Theatre Company Inc. for an ongoing series of murder mysteries. The company has performed 35 original murder mysteries at the North Hero House to date. [7]
The Essex Resort and Spa
In 2017, co-founder Grace Shumski-Coon facilitated a collaboration between the October Theatre Company Inc. and the Essex Resort and Spa. The company began producing original murder mysteries in The Mansion building of the Essex Resort to crowds of 100+ patrons. The company began offering murder mystery dinners for special events such as Halloween and New Year's Eve. [8]
Spirit of Ethan Allen
In 2018, the October Theatre Company Inc. signed on with the Spirit of Ethan Allen to produce murder mystery cruises on Lake Champlain. The cruises were performed weekly throughout the summer season and included live music by the October Theatre Company band. [9] The company renewed their engagement with the Spirit of Ethan Allen for summer 2019 and updated the program to include a biweekly music-only performance centered around specific musical genres.
Interactive Theatre Process
The October Theatre Company Inc. is noted for its unique approach to murder mystery theatre. Executive director John Coon writes an original premise--including character descriptions and a staged ending--for every show. The actors are stationed among audience members during the performance and move around the dining area to talk and drop clues. [10] During dinner, audience members are free to speak with characters and take notes as they learn secrets and potential motives. The murder is saved for last, when one of the characters drops dead and ends the show. The audience then submits their guesses on which character committed the murder and why. The performance is a form of improvisational theatre. The model of putting the murder at the end of the performance, rather than at the beginning, is Coon's original method. [11]
References
- ^ Gorkun, D., & Sheehan, C. (2015, June). Long and Coon bid farewell. The Lakeside Voice. Retrieved January 4, 2019, from https://www.csdvt.org/chs/news/documents/newspaper/2015-06.pdf
- ^ Dover, H. (2015, October 28). Halloween Express train comes to BTV. Retrieved January 14, 2019, from https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/local/2015/10/28/halloween-express-train-rides-coming-btv/73528858/
- ^ Coon, J. (2018, January 13). October Theatre Company Inc. History. Retrieved January 14, 2019, from https://www.octobertheatrecompanyinc.com/history
- ^ Hess, J. (2018, March 16). 2018 Spring Book and Ephemera Fair. Retrieved January 15, 2019, from http://www.vermontisbookcountry.com/blog/2018/03/2018-spring-book-and-ephemera-fair/
- ^ Janney, B. (2016). The Crucible. Retrieved January 15, 2019, from https://www.beccajanney.com/the-crucible/
- ^ Dover, H. (2015, October 28). Halloween Express train comes to BTV. Retrieved January 14, 2019, from https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/local/2015/10/28/halloween-express-train-rides-coming-btv/73528858/
- ^ Blasberg, W. (2019, January). Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre. Retrieved January 15, 2019, from http://www.northherohouse.com/murder-mystery-dinner-theatre-2/
- ^ (2018, October 20). Murder Mystery Dinner | The Essex. Retrieved January 13, 2019, from https://www.diginvt.com/events-in-vermont/murder-mystery-dinner-essex-resort/?date=2018-10-20
- ^ (2018, June.) Murder Mystery Dinner Cruise. Retrieved January 10, 2019, from https://soea.com/murder-mystery/
- ^ (2016). Murder Mysteries at the North Hero House. Retrieved on January 10, 2019, from http://www.champlainislands.com/event/murder-mysteries-at-the-north-hero-house/
- ^ Coon, J. (2019, January). Retrieved on January 15, 2019, from https://www.octobertheatrecompanyinc.com/process
External Links
| Formation | July 2014 |
|---|---|
| Type | Theatre group |
| Purpose | Murder Mysteries |
| Location | |
Artistic director(s) | John Coon |
| Website | http://www.octobertheatrecompanyinc.com |
The October Theatre Company Inc. was founded by John Coon and Grace Shumski-Coon in 2014 as a nonprofit Vermont theatre organization. The company started its first season with a production of Arthur Miller's The Crucible [1] and went on to organize Halloween parties and horror shows. [2] The company now primarily performs murder mysteries at locations around northern Vermont. [3]
Early History
October Theatre Company Inc. was originally titled 'October Productions' when it was founded in 2014. [4] The first production by the company was Arthur Miller's The Crucible. The show was performed in July 2014 at the Whitcomb Barn in Essex, Vermont and featured authentic wool costumes designed by Becca Janney. [5] Following this production, the company name was changed to October Theatre Company Inc. as the new company performed a Halloween dance fundraiser and several short scenes on the Halloween Express in Burlington, Vermont. [6]
Murder Mysteries
North Hero House
In early 2015, Walter Blasberg of the North Hero House Inn and Restaurant decided to offer murder mystery dinners at his restaurant. Actor Kenneth Kimmins suggested that the October Theatre Company Inc. might be interested in performing these mystery shows. After a conversation with executive director John Coon, Blasberg hired the October Theatre Company Inc. for an ongoing series of murder mysteries. The company has performed 35 original murder mysteries at the North Hero House to date. [7]
The Essex Resort and Spa
In 2017, co-founder Grace Shumski-Coon facilitated a collaboration between the October Theatre Company Inc. and the Essex Resort and Spa. The company began producing original murder mysteries in The Mansion building of the Essex Resort to crowds of 100+ patrons. The company began offering murder mystery dinners for special events such as Halloween and New Year's Eve. [8]
Spirit of Ethan Allen
In 2018, the October Theatre Company Inc. signed on with the Spirit of Ethan Allen to produce murder mystery cruises on Lake Champlain. The cruises were performed weekly throughout the summer season and included live music by the October Theatre Company band. [9] The company renewed their engagement with the Spirit of Ethan Allen for summer 2019 and updated the program to include a biweekly music-only performance centered around specific musical genres.
Interactive Theatre Process
The October Theatre Company Inc. is noted for its unique approach to murder mystery theatre. Executive director John Coon writes an original premise--including character descriptions and a staged ending--for every show. The actors are stationed among audience members during the performance and move around the dining area to talk and drop clues. [10] During dinner, audience members are free to speak with characters and take notes as they learn secrets and potential motives. The murder is saved for last, when one of the characters drops dead and ends the show. The audience then submits their guesses on which character committed the murder and why. The performance is a form of improvisational theatre. The model of putting the murder at the end of the performance, rather than at the beginning, is Coon's original method. [11]
References
- ^ Gorkun, D., & Sheehan, C. (2015, June). Long and Coon bid farewell. The Lakeside Voice. Retrieved January 4, 2019, from https://www.csdvt.org/chs/news/documents/newspaper/2015-06.pdf
- ^ Dover, H. (2015, October 28). Halloween Express train comes to BTV. Retrieved January 14, 2019, from https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/local/2015/10/28/halloween-express-train-rides-coming-btv/73528858/
- ^ Coon, J. (2018, January 13). October Theatre Company Inc. History. Retrieved January 14, 2019, from https://www.octobertheatrecompanyinc.com/history
- ^ Hess, J. (2018, March 16). 2018 Spring Book and Ephemera Fair. Retrieved January 15, 2019, from http://www.vermontisbookcountry.com/blog/2018/03/2018-spring-book-and-ephemera-fair/
- ^ Janney, B. (2016). The Crucible. Retrieved January 15, 2019, from https://www.beccajanney.com/the-crucible/
- ^ Dover, H. (2015, October 28). Halloween Express train comes to BTV. Retrieved January 14, 2019, from https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/local/2015/10/28/halloween-express-train-rides-coming-btv/73528858/
- ^ Blasberg, W. (2019, January). Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre. Retrieved January 15, 2019, from http://www.northherohouse.com/murder-mystery-dinner-theatre-2/
- ^ (2018, October 20). Murder Mystery Dinner | The Essex. Retrieved January 13, 2019, from https://www.diginvt.com/events-in-vermont/murder-mystery-dinner-essex-resort/?date=2018-10-20
- ^ (2018, June.) Murder Mystery Dinner Cruise. Retrieved January 10, 2019, from https://soea.com/murder-mystery/
- ^ (2016). Murder Mysteries at the North Hero House. Retrieved on January 10, 2019, from http://www.champlainislands.com/event/murder-mysteries-at-the-north-hero-house/
- ^ Coon, J. (2019, January). Retrieved on January 15, 2019, from https://www.octobertheatrecompanyinc.com/process