Murder-mystery creator puts holiday spin on formula for two dinners at Music Box

Chaos is brewing at the North Pole.

Santa Claus’ principal toy-maker, an elf named Endorfin, has been found dead — a suspicious death by bathtub electrocution.

Endorfin not only had an excessive amount of Viagra in his system, but he was also the guy recently peddling the prescription drug across the North Pole.

Claus is understandably depressed.

He’s also a suspect in this probable homicide.

Anyone who wants to take a stab at solving this merry murder-mystery — “The Elf Who Knew Too Much” — should grab their ugliest Christmas sweater and meet at the Music Box Supper Club in Cleveland on Dec. 1 or 9.

Mark McClenathan of Akron, owner and producer of Get Away With Murder Inc., has produced murder-mystery parties across Ohio and around the country for nearly three decades.

In a recent phone interview, McClenathan says the company’s mission is to make people laugh and have fun.

“People want to laugh and have a good time,” he says. “And secondly, they really like solving a puzzle.”

McClenathan, who holds a degree in music theater from Wittenberg University in Springfield, says he’s been on stage since he was 4.

Although his primary role is producing the parties, he says he occasionally jumps into acting roles for some of his shows.

His love of theater kept his mystery business going through tough times, including the 2008 recession and, more recently, the pandemic.

While McClenathan’s company has plenty of local competition, he says his stands apart thanks to its collaborative system.

“We are the most participatory mystery company because most companies are built around the format of hiring actors to play all of the roles in a mystery,” McClenathan says. “Well, we make it more like a live-action ‘Clue’ game.”

McClenathan says his crew usually consists of three actors, and the rest of the roles, typically about a dozen in the story, are played by audience members. That doesn’t mean the audience needs to come dressed for their possible role.

“We invite people to dress up in costume if they want, but we also have accessories,” McClenathan says.

The Music Box is encouraging guests to wear an ugly Christmas sweater for this particular party, and the best will win prizes.

Your ticket price covers admission to the murder-mystery and a three-course meal at a total fixed price (tax and tip are automatically added to your total).

If you’re selected to participate in this North Pole fantasy, it may turn out that the culprit is you, but it won’t be revealed (not even to you) until the very end of the show.

As you can guess from the elf’s Viagra use, this party has adult themes, so it’s best to leave the kids at home.

As for some of McClenathan’s other parties, he says they’re usually fine for kids at least 10 to 12 years and up.

“If you get much younger than that, they really don’t quite understand it,” he says. “Say ‘blackmail,’ for instance — a lot of younger kids don’t understand what that means. You know, if you say, ‘Are you blackmailing somebody?’ They have no clue what you’re talking about.”

McClenathan has about three dozen stories to choose from if you decide to work with him for a party of your own.

That number doesn’t include a new format that he put together during the pandemic called “Mystery Game Show.”

“We try to match the needs of what the customer has in mind and try to just have a great party where people can laugh and have a good time,” McClenathan adds.

Murder Mystery Dinner Party: ‘The Elf Who Knew Too Much’

Presenter: Get Away With Murder Inc.

When: 8 p.m. Dec. 1 and Dec. 9.

Where: Music Box Supper Club, 1148 Main Ave., Cleveland.

Tickets: $49.50, general admission; table reservations required.

Info: 216-242-1250 or musicboxcle.com.