Feature: MARRIAGE CAN BE MURDER at Showroom at the D Las Vegas

The popularity of networks, movies, and television programs devoted to crime speaks about the desire to become a detective in many people. In downtown Las Vegas, audience members put those skills to the test during the award-winning comedy dinner show Marriage Can Be Murder. The production is celebrating 20 years on stage culminating with KILL-ebration at the showroom at the D Las Vegas on June 20.

The interactive dinner theatre engages audience members to use sleuthing skills to add up clues for possible outcomes. Bodies begin to "drop," so everyone at their table (including the potential murderer) works to solve the crime before more mayhem happens.

Show creators Eric and Jayne Post also star in the production. Think of the television show Reno 9-1-1 and movie and TV franchise The Naked Gun. Law enforcement characters in comedic short-shorts bounce witty dialogue off the ditzy hostesses. The murder mystery show delights everyone, including cast, crew, and audience members.

Bringing the show to the D Las Vegas has been a fun but bumpy ride. Eric started his entertainment career in his small town performing throughout high school. He saw the importance of education, obtained degrees in acting and then joined the Navy, serving for eight years. After leaving the service, he decided to go back to acting. Then, what can only be called Kismet, Eric met and married Jayne, and the couple started to perform together in a show in Sacramento, California. They wrote and created more shows, eventually moving to Lake Tahoe to perform.

When Harrah's Entertainment bought the Showboat casino east of the iconic Strip, the entertainment director reached out to the couple about bringing their show to Vegas. It was then that it was branded as "Marriage Can Be Murder," as the couple made the trip from Lake Tahoe to Las Vegas.

"I told Jayne it would be a cold day in hell before I would move to Vegas. So the first time we came to Vegas to check out the casino, it snowed! We knew it was a sign and we needed to move here," Eric laughs. They would perform at the Showboat for five years until the property closed, continue playing at Four Queens Hotel and Casino and then move to their D Las Vegas location.

The show relies on improv and comedic interaction with audience members, as well as changes in plot lines, music, and characters every few months. Society has changed, but the humor remains good-natured, self-deprecating and translates well into the show's longevity.

"However, our audience has not changed. Social media allows more people to experience the show. However, we still get the young, the old, tourists, locals, newlyweds, bachelor and bachelorette parties, and even some who don't really speak the language. But they understand enough to laugh and enjoy themselves," says Eric.

Marriage Can Be Murder is performed seven nights a week at the D Las Vegas. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the first "murder" happens at 6:30 p.m. Tickets can be bought at the thed.com or by calling the box office at 702-388-2111.

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