Immersive murder mystery show in Philadelphia parodies 'Sex in the City'
For two years, a Philadelphia theater has brought murder, mystery, and laughs to Center City. Now, Carrie and New York's favorite gal pals — Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte — are making their debuts in Philadelphia in an immersive play called "Slay in the City."
"It's a parody of 'Sex in the City,' which is a show I watched with my girlfriends when I was in my 20s," Traci Connaughton, founder of the Red Rum Theater, said.
Connaughton also began her acting career in her 20s. Her passion is murder mysteries.
"It was a paying job," Connaughton said. "I worked for a bunch of other companies, and at some point, I've always wanted to own my own business."
After performing as a traveling actress for decades under the parent company Without a Cue Productions, Connaughton opened her theater two years ago and began providing gigs for local actors.
As the world was also coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, actors did not have much work. However, Connaughton's business expanded by creating virtual shows and walking tour mysteries where the tour guide was the deceased.
"You're going to walk with them the last hour of their life and meet all the suspects," Connaughton said.
The trailblazing murder mystery pioneer still takes her shows on the road, but Red Rum Theater is their home base.
"Really, we just want [people] to laugh and make memories through this," Connaughton said.