We recently connected with Lauren Roberts and have shared our conversation below.

Lauren, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I have always been a creative person. When you’re a kid, there’s always the question, “what do you want to be when you grow up?”. My answers were always something in the entertainment industry. Some days I wanted to be a singer. Other days, a dancer, a movie star, you get it.

As I got older, that question was still there, and my answers didn’t change much. But it was no longer accepted. There were always the follow up questions, “ok, but how do you expect to pay your bills?” Or, “yeah, but you need a real job too.”

That hurt my inner child. I had dreams of seeing my name in lights, walking red carpets, hearing the applause of a sold out performance. I was supposed to just stop dreaming? We tell kids they could be anything, so why couldn’t I be a star?

I put those dreams aside because I thought I had to. It was time to grow up, Peter Pan. I started working in a grocery store when I was 17. I started college a year later. I wanted to go to school for something “artsy”, but I didn’t know exactly what. At the same time, there were always those words, “but what are you going to do for your career?” So I started college as a Pre-Med student. About halfway through that first semester, I knew it was not for me. I jumped ship, and switched majors. I was now heading in the right direction. I became a Media Studies Major. Shortly after that, I saw the spring production at my college. It was at that moment, I made the decision to never sit in the audience again. I needed to be on that stage!

I auditioned for the 2008 Fall Production, and I got cast as Desdemona in a short play called When Shakespeare’s Ladies Meet. I got to work with some amazing people, and I had the time of my life. From then on, I was involved in every production at the college, in some way, until graduation.

But now what?

I continued to work at the grocery store and other retail jobs after I graduated college. I was applying for jobs relating to my major, but that’s not the easiest field to get in to. I kind of gave up. I did community theater projects, was an extra in some movies, and sang karaoke at local dive bars.

I thought I was destined for a life of retail management. That was, until my dad found an ad on Craigs List. I remember the conversation back in 2012. My dad said, “well if you’re serious about this acting thing, you should at least get paid for it. This guy on Craigs List is looking for actors. It’s called Murder Cafe.”

Do I need to say that I was skeptical?

Anyway, answered the ad. I auditioned, but kept my expectations low. I was supposed to understudy someone who couldn’t do one of the company’s scheduled shows. About a week later, I got a call telling me that, although I was great, that actor actually was able to do those shows, so I was no longer needed.

“We will stay in touch!”…yea I’ve heard that before.

Fast forward to 2017. Don’t worry, you didn’t miss much. I moved a couple of times, and had at least half a dozen different retail jobs. That was when I got the email. The email that changed everything. I was being asked to audition for that same company, Murder Cafe. He had a new show, and was holding auditions. Of course I had to go!

I ended up getting cast in that show. Murder at The Speakeasy. We ran the show that whole summer, and ended the run performing for a very large company in Rockefeller Center. We were the entertainment for their Christmas party!

Even though I was getting paid for these shows, it wasn’t enough to pay the bills, so I kept working retail. But, I was a paid actor! I stayed with the company, performing all over the tri-state area, in every type of venue imaginable. I had found my people!

I still wanted more. I didn’t want to be stuck in retail. I started doing more with Murder Cafe. I auditioned for everything. I pushed myself out of my comfort zone. This was where I was supposed to be, I just knew it.

In 2021, I directed my first show with the company. Death By Chocolate. Things were looking up, and in October of 2022, I was performing in murder mysteries that I had WRITTEN!

It’s now November 2024, and Murder Cafe is my only job! In March of this year, this became my full time job. My official title is Assistant Producer of Murder Cafe. I still write shows, as well as direct, and act in most of them. I’m glad that I kept the voice of my inner child in my head all this time. I kept going for her, for the kid that always knew she was going to be a star!

Lauren, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I officially got into the industry by answering a Craig’s List ad. It was scary. I had always been taught, in a performance, to kind of ignore the audience. They were behind the “fourth wall”. We were on stage, away from them. With Murder Cafe, there is no fourth wall. We talked to the audience, and they can talk to us! What a crazy concept! They are like extra cast members that you don’t get to meet until the start of the show.

But, that’s what we do. We walk into the party, dinner, bar, restaurant, etc. and we perform. We engage the audience while they eat their dinners.

I guess that’s what really sets us apart from the rest. We rarely perform at theaters. We don’t typically have a stage or set blocking. We deliver our lines while sitting at tables with the audience. We can never be called “boring”, that’s for sure.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

This is one of my favorite stories to tell! Every year, Murder Cafe performs at Mohonk Mountain House for their annual Mystery Weekend. I would audition every year, but every year I was told that there wasn’t really a spot for me.

In December 2019, I went to the audition with a friend of mine. He was going to be running sound for the show, so he was going as more of a formality than anything else.

I read for all the female roles, but there was some amazing talent in that room that night. There was no way I was getting cast in this show. But then, I saw one of the male roles, Leonard the drunk clown. I thought about it, and I told my friend I thought I could pull it off. He turned to me and said, “I dare you!”

So I read for Leonard. I didn’t hold anything back. What did I have to lose? This was my only shot at Mohonk, so went all in. I think I scared about half the room, including the owner of Murder Cafe.

A few days later, my phone rang. It was Frank. As in the owner of the company, and director of the show. I answered, expecting to be fired on the spot, and asked to never audition for anything with this company ever again.

Instead, I heard, “I’m offering you the role of Leonard.”

Turns out, he WAS terrified, but also incredibly impressed.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I wouldn’t say that I have a set goal, because that would imply that there is an end. I don’t see an end in my journey, because there is always more. I think that’s my mission, actually. I want to show people that you don’t have to stop dreaming, or wanting more in life.

I have two kids. I keep pushing myself for them. I want them to see that hard work pays off, and that their dreams aren’t silly, but you do have to work for them. You don’t just wake up famous and talented, it’s a process. You will hear the word “no” a lot. Don’t let that discourage you. If you really want something, you have to put in the work. Never settle for mediocrity.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Murdercafe.net
• Instagram: Whatsername.0