Unleash the mystery. Live the story.
As the Ball Drops Murder Mystery Party
The Broadway Plaza Hotel, a celebrated icon in the historic heart of Times Square, New York City, is set to welcome guests with open arms to its extravagant New Year's Eve Gala. This exclusive celebration will gather the most distinguished of New York's high society, all dressed in their finest attire, for a night filled with the allure of high fashion, exquisite hors d'oeuvres, and enthralling party games. Holding your VIP access, you're guaranteed a lavish stay at the prestigious Broadway Plaza Hotel. You are about to embark on a journey into a world of enchantment, where your adventure takes flight amidst the splendor and excitement of a quintessential New York festivity. This is where your story begins.
Guest List
DAKOTA WREN
Experimental Chef
Dakota Wren, a culinary virtuoso straight out of the Big Apple, is making waves with groundbreaking kitchen concoctions. Dakota has mastered mixing unique flavors and techniques, thrilling foodies' taste buds citywide. Whether it's a pop-up in Brooklyn or a trendy Manhattan eatery, Dakota's dishes are all the rage, capturing the city's vibrant spirit in every bite.
Dakota claims to have invented “flavor-forward chaos cuisine”—a style involving smoke, lasers, edible moss, and an aggressively opinionated sous chef named Truffle. Whether it’s a Brooklyn warehouse or a secret Manhattan rooftop eatery, Dakota’s food always becomes the talk of the city… even if nobody understands what they just ate.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: A modern, artistically designed chef's coat. Metallic eyeliner or bold color streaks to suggest creative genius. Optional: flour dusting on cheeks or a fake burn mark (for drama, not realism). A light-up chef’s hat (absolutely iconic). Molecular gastronomy gadgets: pipettes, tiny syringes, foaming tools. A whisk holster like a cowboy gun belt.
A spice shaker labeled “ESSENCE OF CONFUSION.” Fake menus featuring absurd items like Deconstructed Air or Emotional Ravioli.
DAKOTA WREN'S EMPLOYEES
Experimental Sous Chefs
As the talented sous chefs under the guidance of culinary maestro Dakota Wren, this team represents a dynamic force in the New York City food scene. Each chef brings a unique blend of cultural backgrounds, culinary training, and creative flair, contributing to the innovative dishes that have put Dakota's kitchen on the map.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Chef's costume.
MARLEY LARKSPUR
Space Architect
Marley Larkspur, hailing from the sunburnt landscapes of Australia, is a visionary. Marley designs futuristic habitats and structures meant for the great beyond. Marley’s work in space architecture has paved the way for extraterrestrial colonization, blending outback resilience with cosmic creativity.
Marley’s designs merge outback grit with cosmic luxury—think kangaroo-leather reclining pods, solar-powered boomerang doors, and a Martian habitat that suspiciously resembles a Melbourne café. Rumor has it Marley is already drafting floor plans for the first space mall.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Anything futuristic or space-themed.
Futuristic jumpsuit or metallic clothing. Holographic vest, geometric patterns, and neon accents.
Slicked-back space hair with metallic gel or glitter. Face gems, galaxy-inspired eyeshadow.
Props: VR headset, tablet with “blueprints,” glowing LED gadgets. A binder labeled “Space Real Estate Development: Confidential. Mini UFO keychain or light-up gloves
MARLEY LARKSPUR'S CREW
Under Marley Larkspur's pioneering leadership, the space architects team comprises exceptionally talented and forward-thinking individuals. Hailing from various corners of the globe, each member brings a unique set of skills and perspectives essential for designing habitats and structures in the uncharted realms of space.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Anything futuristic or space-themed.
JORDAN PUDDLEPUMP
Professional Stunt Coordinator
Jordan Puddlepump, a Hollywood-based stunt maestro, orchestrates and performs breathtaking, high-adrenaline stunts for blockbuster movies. Jordan has become a go-to name in Tinseltown for jaw-dropping cinematic action. Amidst the glitz and glam of Hollywood, Jordan brings heart-pounding sequences to life while ensuring every stunt is as safe as it is spectacular.
Jordan once broke seven props and a director’s spirit in a single afternoon. Still, nothing rattles this daredevil—except poorly secured harnesses and actors who say, “I think I’ll do this one without a stunt double.”
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: A stuntperson costume
Wear an Evel Knievel–style jumpsuit decorated with patches, stars, stripes, and protective pads. Style your hair to look windswept with a blow dryer or strong gel, and add smudged “action dirt” to your cheeks for that just-survived-a-stunt look. Carry props such as a walkie-talkie, a clipboard filled with absurd stunt sketches, knee and elbow pads, toy harness clips, and a megaphone boldly labeled “STUNTS ARE LIFE.”
PEYTON HONEYBEE
Ethical Hacker
Peyton Honeybee is a cyber guardian who leverages expertise to shield sensitive data and counteract digital threats. Peyton collaborates with leading tech corporations to bolster cybersecurity. This cyber cop uses innovative techniques and strategies to stay one step ahead of hackers, ensuring that our digital world remains secure and trustworthy.
Despite being a cybersecurity genius, Peyton still forgets personal logins and insists, “It’s not a flaw, it’s OPSEC.” Peyton’s hoodie collection is legendary, and each one is allegedly encrypted.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Wear a casual, unassuming ensemble with a techy edge. Hoodie, jeans, sneakers, and a cyber-themed T-shirt, paired with futuristic glowing accessories or circuit-pattern gloves. Style your hair messy or a sleek cyberpunk design, and (F) add blue LED eyeliner or geometric makeup accents. Carry props like a laptop (real or toy), USB sticks, noise-canceling headphones, a fake hacking code screen, a rubber duck—a favorite hacker mascot—or a clipboard labeled “Cyber Threat Report.”
POWERS SCHWARTZ
Chief Executive Officer
Powers Schwartz is the power-hungry CEO of Monster Financial Corporation (MFC). Feared by all, this authoritative leader is not one to cross if you know what is good for you! As strong a CEO as Powers may be, the employees of MFC must bite their tongue and be quiet as a mouse when their leader speaks, as Powers has a dreadful habit of speaking in cheesy clichés!
Powers pretends to be humble but tells everyone, “I put the ‘power’ in corporate power.” Staff estimate that Powers speaks in at least nine clichés per minute under stress.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Formal party attire. Slicked-back “CEO hair” shellacked into place, tiny Bluetooth earpiece you never take out, and a gold pen you click ominously. Carry fake PowerPoint printouts, a stress ball shaped like a dollar sign, and hand out business cards that say “Powers Schwartz: CEO, Visionary, Tyrant.”
MORTIE GAUGE
Realtor
If you’re looking for a realtor who can get the job done, Mortie Gauge is the only one you can trust—at least, that’s what the tacky TV commercials claim. This ultra-fake but friendly realtor looks out for number one, so if Mortie represents your new home purchase, don’t expect the deal to be in your favor. Mortie’s only true friend is the U.S. Dollar.
Mortie has filmed 147 commercials and believes every single one is Emmy-worthy. Mortie ends all conversations with, “And that’s below market value!”
Say what you will about the cheesy ads - Mortie is one of the top realtors in New York!
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Formal party attire. Hair sprayed into realtor perfection, and a blazer that screams “I upsell dreams.” Props: fake house keys, a “SOLD” sign, comically long contracts, or a giant calculator.
GLOTTIE LARINX
Vegas Lounge Performer
You’ll see Glottie Larinx’s face on billboards and buses throughout Las Vegas. Glottie’s a long-standing lounge performer at the Bingo Bongo Casino on Freemont Street. With the lungs of an athlete and the vocal cords of a canary, Glottie entertains crowds of tourists every afternoon. It’s too bad Glottie has a compulsive gambling problem and is an annoying one-upper, or this performer would be an awesome friend to have otherwise!
Glottie warms up by singing scales loud enough to frighten pigeons off casino roofs and insists on being addressed as “Vegas Royalty.”
But Glottie’s face is getting phased off the billboards and buses and swapped with other Vegas performers. Uh… should we be worried about Glottie?
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Lounge performer attire. (F) Big diva hair or a sparkly wig, glitter explosion makeup, feather boa, sparkly jumpsuit, and a rhinestoned mic. (M) Poofy slicked back hair (tease, smooth and spray), a fake diamond watch, large gold chain. Props: tip jar labeled “Applause Accepted,” or a mini slot machine.
REECE VAUGHN
B Movie Actor
Reece Vaughn is a struggling B-movie star. Known for powerful screams and overly dramatic chase scenes, Reece is destined for top roles on the Hollywood big screen - or so Reece believes that to be true. Reece will take no blame for not making it to the A-List, as it will undoubtedly be everyone else’s fault! This drama conjurer quickly points the blame at anyone for anything.
While in public, Reece memorizes fans’ names… mostly to scream at them for incorrect camera angles when photos of Reece are found on social media. Reece carries headshots everywhere “just in case."
Reece has been around a long time in Hollywood and there are many reasons why Reece hasn't broken into the A-list yet.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Wear flashy party attire and pretend you're more successful than you are. Hollywood hair, dramatic contour makeup (F), sunglasses indoors, a fake Oscar you absolutely didn’t win but you claim to be manifesting one. Props: fake horror movie poster, scream queen starter kit, autograph marker.
TRUMPY GATES
Wealthy Entrepreneur
Trumpy Gates is an uber-wealthy entrepreneur and world traveler. Trumpy’s extremely condescending nature certainly doesn’t earn this tycoon a spot in anyone’s circle of friends! Trumpy strongly believes everyone is for sale at a price.
Trumpy is obsessed with “optimizing (and maybe reducing the population of) humanity,” often handing out unsolicited pamphlets on mosquito extinction and composting toilets. Trumpy also keeps suggesting that every problem—emotional, political, romantic—can be solved with a spreadsheet and a $20 billion grant.
As savvy of an entrepreneur that Trumpy is on the surface, there have been some colossal mistakes made public lately.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Wear trendy and expensive-looking attire. Over-the-top rings, giant faux diamonds, slicked luxury hair, velvet blazer. Props: wad of fake money, USB sticks labeled “Top Secret Virus Fix," laminated flowchart labeled "Cliff Notes for Depopulating Humanity," monocle, gold briefcase, passport collection.
AVY ARIE
Bird Watcher
Avy Arie is a romantic bird watcher hailing from a small, isolated island off the coast of South Africa. An avid poet, Avy is also a loyal friend - if you don’t mind the intimate space breaches and constant fashion violations. Do you hear the fashion police sirens going off? Yup! Avy just got dressed for the party!
Avy believes all outfits are “statement pieces,” even when the statement is “Why?” Avy writes bird-themed haikus for fun and loves to recite them to strangers in the park.
Avy often clashes with the environmental activist types, even though they might have some overlapping goals. It might be because Avy is a bit bird-centric.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Cheesy safari outfit with binoculars as an optional prop. Chaotic look with mismatched socks, binoculars, bird guidebook. Wild, windswept hair; smudge of dirt on cheeks. Props: bird call whistle, stuffed parrot on shoulder, notebook of bad poetry.
SOSS PARSLEY
Personal Chef
Soss Parsley is Trumpy Gates’ accident-prone personal chef. With a perpetual black cloud looming above, this bad-luck kitchen guru continually makes a huge mess. Soss has dreadful manners, so don’t think about bringing Soss home to meet the parents unless they own a charm school!
Soss burned down a classroom kitchen in culinary school and claims it was a learning moment, and trips at least once per hour, usually while carrying something fragile.
Many sources say that Soss's job is on the rocks, and that Trumpy has been quite dissatisfied with the food lately.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Chef’s uniform. Chef hat askew, flour smudges, apron with fake burn marks, wild hair sticking out of a hairnet. Props: whisk sword, splattered recipe cards, rubber chickens, measuring spoons necklace.
TIP BURTON
Wedding Videographer
Tip Burton is a peculiar wedding videographer filled with melancholy and despair. Why this doom-and-gloomer would choose the career of filming couples on the happiest day of their lives is beyond anyone’s comprehension. Nevertheless, this gothic videographer’s dark and quirky wedding videos are becoming quite the trend in New York City!
Tip films weddings entirely in black-and-white “for emotional realism.” Tip sighs dramatically at least ten times per minute - but only when people are looking.
Tip's social media accounts were skyrocketing and video clips were going viral on the regular. However, something has happened recently to slow this momentum.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Gothic all-black attire, smudged eyeliner, intentionally messy hair, heavy boots. Props: vintage camera, broken tripod, moody film reel, fake contract labeled “Absolutely No Smiling.”
PAT INTEMAN
Inventor
Pat Inteman is one of the most brilliant folks you’ll ever have the pleasure of meeting. A Harvard graduate, Pat is an overachiever who earned a graduate degree in Biomedical Engineering at MIT. However, this creative engineer has a problem with controlling voice volume, as Pat goes from whisper to shout within the same sentence.
Pat once built a toaster that texts you the weather. It only had one production run, and most of the units ended up being donated. Pat’s voice volume jumps from whisper to stadium-announcer with no warning.
Pat recently had a disaster with a prototype and has had to rearrange the production schedule for many projects. It will be a miracle if Pat can clear enough time to attend the New Year's Eve party.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Engineering costume. Messy inventor hair; goggles on forehead; blueprint rolled under one arm; tool belt; lab coat covered in doodles. Props: gears, mini robot, fake patent awards, calculator glasses.
TAKEY TAKERTON & FRIENDS
Unemployed Couch Potato
Void of ambition and a career, this couch potato also has anger management issues. Be prepared to walk on eggshells around this lazy soul unless you want to be the target of a senseless tirade. Takey’s usually seen with fellow couch potatoes who have learned to deal with Takey’s complex personality.
Takey’s greatest accomplishment this year was microwaving soup twice and getting it to thicken. The couch in Takey's mom's basement has a permanent Takey-shaped dent.
This moocher tells friends that unemployment is the way to live and that jobs only hold a human down. But Takey's mother has the opposite stance.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Pajamas, couch potato costume, sloth onesie - whatever makes you look unemployable. Bedhead wig, saggy pajamas, fuzzy slippers, blanket cape. Props: half-eaten bag of chips, TV remote on a lanyard, empty wallet, crumpled job applications you never submitted.
TAKEY TAKERTON'S FRIEND
Unemployed Couch Potato
Takey Takerton's companions are laid-back, sharing a penchant for idleness and an easy-going lifestyle. They've mastered the art of navigating Takey's unpredictable temper, often diffusing tense situations with their relaxed demeanor and a shared understanding of their friend's quirks.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: The slouchiest and laziest attire you can fathom.
SUNNY FLOWERS
Florist
Not many people know this shy florist. Sunny is extremely introverted and, if made to leave the house or floral shop, will linger in the back of crowds and watch from the shadows. Sunny is a talented florist and one of the most popular in the city, but nobody has been able to free Sunny from social restraints. Sunny speaks to plants far more than other human beings.
Sunny once gave a flower arrangement a pep talk for two hours. But the funny thing is, the blooms were amazing the following day!
Sunny is a bit of an environmentalist, especially when it comes to plants.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Wear a gardener or floral costume—be a rose, a sunflower, etc. Face painted with floral vines, garden hat, overalls or plant-themed costume. Props: watering can purse, pruning shears (fake), bouquet backpack, flower crown made of silk flowers.
SKYLER GREEN
Professional Golfer
Skyler Green is a cheerful professional golfer with an infectious personality. Appreciated by all, and always the life of the party, this golf-loving party-goer impersonates animals on the golf course, keeping others in stitches. But unfortunately, Skyler is a narcissist and rarely passes up a reflection - which can get annoying if you're chatting to Skyler and are wearing shiny buttons.
Skyler practices golf swings in grocery store aisles, coffee shop lines, or wherever Skyler is given idle time. So, it comes as no surprise that many store managers have asked Skyler to leave. Skyler also narrates personal life events as if hosting a sports channel.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Golf/country club attire. Bright golf polo, argyle socks, visor, sunscreen streaks on cheeks. Props: foam golf club, mini putting mat, scorecard clipboard, animal-themed headcovers.
REMY STARLING
Wildlife Photographer
Remy Starling, a world-roaming shutterbug, captures some of the most breathtaking, rare, and exotic wildlife shots you'll ever see. Freelancing is Remy’s game, peddling those one-of-a-kind photos to whoever’s willing to cough up top dollar. Devotion lies solely with the almighty American buck, and Remy never denies it.
There's a rumor that Remy once spent three weeks in a mosquito-infested swamp just to photograph a frog that turned out to be plastic. Despite the chaos, Remy always claims every shot is “worth the risk.”
Remy once spent 18 months in a foreign land getting rare footage for a documentary. However, things didn't quite go as planned once the film was released. Alas, Remy's back to freelance photography.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Safari/adventurer/zookeeper/paleontologist costume. Carry a real or toy camera with an exaggerated long lens, wear a wide-brimmed hat, and keep binoculars—real or toy—hanging around your neck to complete the look.
ELLIS NIGHTENGALE
Urban Ecologist
Ellis Nightengale is passionately committed to eco-friendly urban developments, tirelessly weaving natural elements into city landscapes. Ellis’s work beautifies neighborhoods, boosts biodiversity, and improves life for humans and wildlife alike. Every project is the perfect blend of science, creativity, and leafy ambition. Ellis is known to halt conversations mid-sentence to identify a birdcall or lecture a stranger about soil pH. City officials love Ellis’s results but fear Ellis’s “strong opinions” about sidewalk tree placement.
Ellis has pitched some wild ideas to the city council lately and is slowly losing credibility. But something else has dampened Ellis’s spirits recently—and it isn’t the council’s lack of vision.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: A nature-inspired costume —something leafy, earthy, or botanically themed—to embody Ellis’s love for green spaces. Carry props like a magnifying glass, a notebook filled with environmental observations, and even a small potted plant used as “field equipment” for measuring ecological data..
CARA TINN
Hairstylist
Don’t bother bringing in a hairstyle magazine with what you want to look like - if you sit in Cara Tinn’s chair, you’re going to the one signature style whether you want it or not! Who cares if your hair will be outdated by decades? Who cares if Cara’s clients all look the exact same? Cara doesn’t care! This nerdy and flirty hair diva has her trademark down pat style, and it’s the best in NYC – of its kind. Cara insists her signature hairstyle is “timeless,” even though it screams 1963 in bold capital letters. Clients fear the chair, because Cara cuts hair like a DJ remixes—loud, confident, and absolutely ignoring requests.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Trendy and fashionable outfit. Hair in an outrageous style that looks vintage. A comb and styling cape are optional props. Hair teased, crimped, feathered, or towering like a retro skyscraper. Over-the-top makeup with frosty lipstick and bright blush for that “salon time warp” look. Wear a stylist apron stuffed with combs, color swatches, and a spray bottle you use like a weapon. Props: tiny hair clippings on your shirt (fake), vintage hairdryer, appointment book with everyone mysteriously double-booked.
CARA'S SIGNATURE LOOK:
RUDOLFI DECHANEL
Fashion Designer
From a poor orphan in Italy learning to sew by hand to the bright lights of the Paris runways, the ostentatious Rudolfi Chanel has made more than a mark in fashion history. This glitzy icon of style has one of the most remarkable rags-to-riches success stories ever known, and today is a famous fashion icon in New York City - and probably one of the top designers worldwide.
Rudolfi’s fashion shows always end with standing ovations… mostly because the audience is afraid to wrinkle the outfits. Rudolfi speaks in dramatic metaphors like, “Fashion is the scream of the soul!”
Recently Rudolfi dipped toes into B-movie costume design, which seems to be a bit of a step back for a fashion icon. But Rudolfi swears the project was done as a favor to a friend.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Ultra-trendy yet extravagant designer attire. Dramatic flowing coat, designer sunglasses indoors at night, hair slicked back or beautifully chaotic. Glittery contour, bold eyeliner, and a tape measure scarf for flair. Props: mini sewing kit, sketchbook filled with absurd runway looks, or fabric swatches you throw at people yelling “INSPIRATION!!”
MOONBEAM RAINBOWS
Owner, The Greenery
Moonbeam Rainbows is the spunky owner of The Greenery, a store dedicated to selling environmentally friendly products. A modern-day hippy and environmentalist, Moonbeam is well-loved and appreciated by all, as this store owner will do absolutely anything to accommodate others’ needs.
Moonbeam does unsolicited recycling audits on guests’ pockets “just to make sure.” Moonbeam also names houseplants as if they’re employees—Fernest Hemingway is the assistant manager.
Moonbeam is a major environmental activist with millions of followers. Commit even a tiny eco-infraction, and Moonbeam will have the internet after you before the sun comes up.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Hippie attire. Decade costumes - Men's and here is Women's.
Tie-dye everything, flowy sleeves, beads, flower crown, or hemp jewelry. Or, a nature-inspired costume. Pastel eye makeup, glitter cheeks, hair in loose waves or braids decorated with mini flowers. Props: reusable tote bags, notebooks labeled “Environmental Citations,” bamboo water bottle, compostable bracelets.
GUNNER DEW
Farmer
No stranger to hard work, this farmer works from dawn to dusk, seven days per week. Gunner keeps his farmhands laughing as he loves to impersonate animals on his farm. But you’d never expect that this rugged outdoorsman is a romantic poet in his free time. Gunner is a regular at the Living Poet’s Society gatherings, where he recites his amorous poems.
Gunner’s love poems are legendary at the Living Poet’s Society, though the metaphors usually end up somehow involving tractors. Gunner pretends not to cry at sunsets, but everyone knows.
Gunner swears Skyler Green is awful at animal impressions and wants to do a social media showdown someday to see who the fans really hype up. But Skyler ignores Gunner's requests.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Overalls and a flannel shirt. Overalls, flannel, muddy boots, straw hat with a feather. Smudged “dirt” makeup on cheeks; hair tousled like a long day in the fields. Props: a pitchfork (toy), mason jar of “moonshine” (water), notebook of romantic farm poetry, stuffed farm animals you impersonate.
JANE SIMMONS
Fitness Instructor
Jane Simmons is the creator of Buns of Iron – an intense home video workout regimen that she developed to build the muscle tone of the gluteus muscles. There aren’t many seconds of the day that Jane isn’t working out, teaching a fitness class, or writing another book on the optimal fitness of gluteus muscles. This Buns of Iron Guru lives and breathes fitness.
Jane can spot weak glutes from across a crowded room and will loudly announce it. Jane has filmed so many workout videos that neighbors think she lives in a time loop.
Jane usually works with Hollywood actors to get them into peak condition for their roles. She’s overseen dramatic weight loss, helped talent bulk up for superhero parts, and even—begrudgingly—supervised weight gain when the script demanded it.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Any style of workout clothing.
Neon leggings, crop top, sweatband, wristbands, super high ponytail. Makeup with bright cheeks like you “just finished a 10-mile run.” Props: resistance bands, foam dumbbells, clipboard labeled “Gluteus Goals,” or a boombox blasting 80s fitness jams.