“Marriage Can Be Murder” Murder-Mystery Dinner Show Finds Another New Home
A longtime mid-tier, interactive, dad joke-centric show, “Marriage Can Be Murder,” is relocating yet again, this time to Rio.
The show has yet another debut on Aug. 28, 2025.
The show takes up residence in Rio’s The Venue. Cheap rent is one of the keys to the success of a Las Vegas show, and this is that. The show touts itself as “the number one interactive dinner theater show in Las Vegas.” The fact it’s the only interactive dinner theater show in Las Vegas in no way diminishes this impressive claim, probably.
The show’s producer, John Bentham, who we’re pretty sure has lots of dirt about why magician David Copperfield is rumored to be paid in cash when he performs in foreign countries, says, “We couldn’t be more excited to bring Marriage Can Be Murder to the iconic Rio Las Vegas. The move marks a new chapter for us, giving us an opportunity to reach even more locals, tourists, and longtime fans. The Rio team is making us feel right at home, and the property’s ongoing revitalization is the perfect backdrop for the next evolution of our show.”
“Marriage Can Be Murder” has been around since roughly the Truman administration. And we mean “around.” It was at The D at one point, then the Orleans. The show even had a short run at Hennessey’s, a downtown bar. The show celebrated its 25th year of existence in 2024.
Here’s a quick description from the news release: “Ideal for audiences ages 12 and up, the award-winning comedy-murder mystery dinner show blends razor-sharp humor and pop culture with campy entertainment, slaying audiences with a dash of intrigue, mixed-in shenanigans, and a suspect hiding among the guests. Audiences play detective alongside the outlandishly eager lieutenant and the nosy hostess who keeps the wacky mischief flowing throughout this interactive murder-mystery experience.”
The Venue sits in no-man’s-land at Rio, otherwise known as Masquerade Village. The Venue is a rebrand of another noble effort, Duomo Theater, which was home to “Raiding the Rock Vault.” That closed in 2023.
The space is a good fit for a dinner show, as it has a kitchen (the ill-fated Duomo served Italian food).
As Bentham states, Rio is being revitalized. If you haven’t been in some time, you’ll want to try again. The hotel’s Masquerade Village is a little bleak because management made the smart decision to concentrate Rio’s energy on the main casino floor, as opposed to trying to fill the cavernous east wing of the sprawling resort (where the “Show in the Sky” used to be).
It’s going to be a slog for this show, as this is a four-wall deal, meaning they pay rent and do all their own marketing.
Rio has been struggling (it’s gotten worse since the NBA arena deal fell through with Oak View, long story), so the show won’t be able to rely on foot traffic.
That said, another show at Rio, “Wow,” just hit 3,000 performances. Nobody’s really sure how, but more power to them, and we hope “Marriage Can Be Murder” will find similar longevity.
If you hate audience participation experiences, this is probably not the show for you.
To enjoy this show, it’s better to be drunk, older and from the Midwest. All due respect.
Learn more at the official site. Let us know what you think. There’s something for everybody in Las Vegas.
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