Murder at the Jorgensen Speakeasy

Before I turn the tables and fill this blog space up with another year of holiday traditions and Christmas jammies, I have to share  a post about a night that will go down as one of our favorite nights.  Before everything started going haywire again, we hosted a little murder mystery party.  I've wanted to do this for years and since the roaring twenties is one of my favorite decades, it seemed only appropriate to transform this place into a 1920s speakeasy.  

As the hostess, I organized the night's character list, setting, and schedule a few weeks before the party.  I ordered a package from Etsy and it was a breeze to pull off.  Everyone was assigned a character, each character sheet included a little biography, prop suggestions, and secrets and relationships that would evolve throughout the night.  Guests were encouraged to arrive in character and no one except me would know who would fall victim to murder throughout the night.  Over the course of the night, three people would be murdered, and soon after, evidence would be found that would interweave characters and cause much suspicion.  At the end of the night, we would all get a chance to vote on who we thought to be the murder and their motive.  

My date and I having a little fun testing out the tripod before the night's festivities... 

We invited some of our very dear friends who definitely know how to have a good time, but we still had no clue what to expect in terms of how much they'd get into character!  Some of the couples knew each other well, while others would be hanging out for the first time.  We figured it'd either be a great way to break the ice or a very awkward night.  

Let's just say this crew of gangsters exceeded my expectations in every sense of the word.  I still smile to think about all the small ways they just went for it.  I really think after the year we'd all had we just needed an opportunity to step outside our reality for a night of fun.  And that is exactly what we did.  

So without further adieu, our gang of hood rats...

First up, Eugenio Beasley, well-traveled, intelligent, and quite possibly an alcoholic.  With his flask of apple juice and pill box full of lemon heads, Beasley kept it pretty cool all night, likely trying to conceal his drinking problem or his love for Mazie "Gold Digger" Langley.

Georgetta O'Shea, famous painter.  Sophisticated, classy, and a bit condescending, I share that my most famous painting stolen from the esteemed Grout Museum was stolen recently.  Funny thing is, I actually hired Mae "Vixen" Smith to steal it for me with the hope of creating some press and thus, more fame.

Rodrick Newberry stole the show by winning the award for "Most in Character".  This was an easy, as the opportunistic sneak was talking like a 1920s New Yorker the moment we walked in the door.  He also wasted no time passing out his very own business cards (and taping them to my bathroom mirrors), asking for interested patients in his plastic surgery (mal)practice.  He even offered some under the table discounts, which felt more like a shady insult than a selfless favor.    

Speaking of finding business cards all over the house in the aftermath of the murder spree, I also found black and white headshots of the one and only Cecilia McKenzie in frames throughout the house!  This young, hopeful, and terribly naive debutant cared much more about getting discovered than solving any sort of crime.  Luckily, she ended the night unscathed, but was spotted leaving with the town bootlegger! ;)

Speaking of bootlegger, Dante McGregor, showed up in his overalls with a five gallon pail of his own supply of moonshine.  His collection of discreet bottles of homemade lighter fluid causes some riffraff by the end of the night, but he left me with a vase of juniper as a parting gift, so it's hard to be made about it.

And then we have Maxwell Langley, the richest man in town.  This guy walked down the stairs complaining there was no elevator, asked several time where the maid was, and doted on his much younger wife, Mazie.  Unfortunately, Maxwell fell to his untimely death early in the night, falling victim to a stabbing during our cocktail hour.

And beautiful, flirtatious, Mazie Langley, who showed up looking like a million bucks in her peacock feathers and mink coat (from her closet, a hand-me-down from her Grandma!), seemed extremely bored with her life with Maxwell and ready for a night amongst the rich and famous.  Little did she know her long lost father would announce his loyalty to her on his hands and knees.  A hilarious, confusing moment that will go down as one of my favorite moments of the night!

Marilyn Moretti, aka, our Gangster.  She was the first to arrive to the party, dropped off by her teenage daughters who helped get her all fixed up.  Dressed head to toe in an ensemble scored from Goodwill, she was dressed to kill, and quite suspicious acting all night long.  With her white wig, red lipstick, and fake cigarette, her alter ego was one of my favorite to observe!

Robbie Montague was a close second for me when it came to Most in Character.  During group introductions, Robbie was in the kitchen serving up my tomato bisque in little plastic cups, garnishing it with some questionable "herbs" he had stored in his chef's hat.  Covered in tattoos not-so-concealed under that chef's coat, Robbie was our party animal who happened to nail the murderer and the motive to the mere details.  

Evangelina Lavine looked like an academy award in her gorgeous gold dress and pearls.  The town gossip, she was caught dishing the dirt on various characters throughout the night.

And then we have Rufus Gray, the night's vagabond who also moved high in the ranks of "most in character" thanks to his odd behaviors and premonitions.  A bit cryptic, disheveled, and weirdly insightful, Rufus was often caught walking past people and offering unsolicited wisdom, most of the time in the form of riddles.  After re-reading his character sheet, this guy totally nailed his description and still has me hysterics over it.

Oh Delpha Hanna, you pretty little attention hog.  She made quite the entrance in her long luscious locks and red dress to kill.  Although she wasn't the killer, she did spread a lot of gossip throughout the night, usually starting off with a not-so-innocent, "My heavens, have you heard the news...?" 

And then we have Mae "Vixen" Smith, sly, cunning, and the object of much attention throughout the night (mostly from the men).  Her role was quite sneaky, causing much suspicion to circulate.  That is, until her death late in the game turned the tables upside down.  Ole All the Way Mae played it cooler than her pack of Misty cigs she brought along for the night.  

Marcelo Luciano looked like he came straight out of a New York gangster film.  He was our illegal bookie, a bit shady and always looking for opportunities to place a bet on something.

    

Carmen Powers, a hard-working, rough, and jaded detective who is still searching for the person who murdered her parents in a plane crash years ago.  Unfortunately, Carmen fell to her demise after getting poisoned halfway through the night.  Evidence revealed her past finally got the best of her and she became a dirty cop with Marilyn Moretti.

And last but not least, the one and only Bo Hancock, all-American pilot, awarded Best Dressed (it was the pants), and our murderer for the night!  Bo loved Mae and would have done anything for her, but after finding out she was playing him for Maxwell's fortune, he just couldn't let it go.  

The night went off without a hitch thanks to this group of street rats.  There were secrets revealed, many laughs to be had, bands to play and jigs to dance.  And the next day, I was already dreaming up plans for the next one.  

Some candids from the night.  I love these people!