Note: This is sponsored post, but the opinions expressed in this article are entirely my own.
In an era where companies think that an immersive experience means having people take selfies around a room with a few projectors aimed at the walls, this murder mystery comedy show in Bushwick has shown what it means to have an audience be truly immersed. When you go see The Art of Killin’ It, don’t expect to be sitting quietly in the audience watching a performance play out on stage. Instead, from the moment you enter the fictional Hardigan Manor, you are a welcomed guest at an album release party for a social media influencer-turned-rapper. And when the party inevitably becomes deadly, you’re not just watching wide-eyed in horror at the chaos around you; it’s up to you to help solve this murder mystery.
I’ll admit that as someone who’s naturally reserved, the idea of an interactive murder mystery comedy show made me a little nervous, even more so since I don’t have the sleuthing skills of Sherlock Holmes. But it turns out that all you need is a sense of humor to enjoy this 90-minute experience. The cast of The Art of Killin’ It is skilled at improvisation and how to gauge an audience. As the show’s creator Jordon Waters told me, “So if you want to dive in and immerse yourself, we will talk to you, and if you’re like, ‘Please don’t talk to me,’ then we won’t say a word to you.”
In addition to being accommodating to both introverts and extroverts, The Art of Killin’ It has had attendees from ages nine to 65 (those of us age 21 and up, peep the bar). And more importantly, with the show’s BIPOC cast and its comedic approach to the murder mystery genre, you’re not going to see people of color victimized in the way that we see too often in real life. Case in point: the show has no guns. Waters explained, “There are no gun mentions, there are no gun noises, there are no fake guns. I just want to leave that out. There’s a million ways to die, so let’s have fun with it.”
In talking to Waters, I’ve been convinced that shows like The Art of Killin’ It are particularly important in this moment of time when things seem so grim, not just in real life but in art — especially in art featuring people of color. And while those works are important and needed, so are shows with silliness and levity. As Waters puts it, “I want people to have fun. I want people to laugh. I want people to see people of color in a new light, and I want people to come back and keep playing, because the thing that people are missing a lot these days is playing. And that’s why we do theater, because it’s a play.”
To take part in the hilarious madness that it The Art of Killin’ It, get tickets on the show’s website here:
https://www.theartofkillinit.com/tickets
Check out The Art of Killin’ It on social media:
https://www.instagram.com/theartofkillinit/
https://www.tiktok.com/@theartofkillinit
But before you go, if you liked this article on The Art of Killin’ It and you like what I do here at Shiloh in the City and want to continue getting to know New York’s history, culture, and things to do with me, sign up for my email list and follow me on social media. Thanks for reading!