The University News

Issue date: 10/8/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Kevin Ghadyani Amanda Doyon, Sarah Burkhalter, Sarah Breier, Vladimir Sainte and Ashley Holloway read from their scripts during the production, reacting to the insensitivity of Holloway's character, who is later murdered.

It was Mark, with the cyanide, at the awards party.

Participants of the Coaching Program attended a murder mystery dinner party Oct. 4 in Pierson Auditorium.

Peer coaches put on the play "And the Winner is…Murder" by Elspeth Antonelli for attending students. The play is about nine guests at an awards party. The characters are involved in the production of a movie. After they air each other's dirty laundry, the center of all the controversy, movie star Elizabeth, is poisoned and dies.

As the play continued, clues were strategically dropped for the audience. When it was over, students had their chances to name the murderer.

Sarah Breier, lead coach, played Mark, the murderer.

"It should be funny for [the students] to see us on stage being silly," Breier said. "It is about intermingling, eating and having fun."

According to its Web site, the Coaching Program is designed to help students become acclimated to life at UMKC and be involved on campus. They also promote critical thinking skills and social awareness.

The Coaching Program holds six different events per semester, said Rebecca Bailey, program coordinator. The events are academic, community service-oriented or social.

"This is one of our fun social events," she said.

The auditorium was decorated and many students dressed up for the event. In the intermission, a fish and chicken dinner was served. Students also received goody-bags full of candy. The evening was organized by three of the coaches: Marie Coleman, Sarah Green and Sarah Burkhalter.

Though some students said they attended because it was mandatory, others enjoyed different aspects of the evening.

"I like that they gave us candy," said Alana Henderson, freshman, theatre.

"The decorations are cute," said Hailey Jones, freshman, theatre.

"[The play] was highly entertaining," said Katie Coker, freshman, business.

For more information on the Coaching Program, visit http://www.umkc.edu/cad/coaching.

mnhxt4@umkc.edu

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