The University of Mississippi’s Johnson Commons Center transformed into a pretend crime scene on Monday, April 14 for the Student Activities Association’s “Murder Mystery Dinner.”
Students worked in teams to solve the mystery of a 1920s murder, in which the bride’s stepfather is the victim. The event included free food, and attendees dressed in various outfits for the 1920’s theme.
Nina Poiroux, SAA special events co-director and junior history major from Mobile, Ala., said she hoped students enjoyed the event.
“We’ve done a murder mystery event for the past few years, and it has always been a success that students love,” Poiroux said. “It is good for students to have a casual night and enjoy an interactive show with their friends.”
SAA Special Events Co-Director Hannah Hoang — a junior journalism major from Amory, Miss. — explained how the event can alleviate stress.
“A lot of people are feeling stressed right now, towards the end of the semester, so we wanted to have a fun and free event for students on campus,” Hoang said. “We wanted everyone to have a night of laughs and escape from end of the semester stress.”
Don Mitchell, an actor for the American Immersion Theater’s Murder Mystery Company, played Don Don Jr. — the stepbrother to the bride — during the ‘Murder Mystery Dinner.’
“We create an environment where students get to be part of the story, and they get into the characters they play,” Mitchell said. “As an actor, it’s really cool to see how immersive it is while being able to watch.”
Mitchell said events like these provide a way for students to express themselves.
“Through these events, students are allowed to leave their comfort zone,” Mitchell said. “When it comes to shows like this, a lot of people tend to be very standoffish and in the background, but this creates a safe place to show off their personality.”
