“Ever since I was a little kid, my dad did looney tunes voices. Bugs bunny, foghorn leghorn. That led me to be into character voices. That’s where I got that passion.”

Phil Whiting is a character actor at the Conundrum, a local venue that features Escape Rooms, Wine and Beer Tastings in the Dark, and a Speakeasy Bar that brings the 1920s to life. Each experience showcases the writing, design, and theatrical talents of local creatives.

“I took Wolfie, one of my voice characters, into the interview and got hired because of that. Wolfie is high energy and whimsically dapper. The job fit like a glove, I was able to use all these weird quirky skills to create a world for people to play in.”

Owner, Shawn Verbrughhe and his team have had a unique vision for the Conundrum from the beginning. “We started with the concept of people really digging escape experiences.” Says Verbrugghe. “But we like to explore the possibilities. We spent a lot of time asking questions and building off each others’ ideas. At the end we created a process for implementing theatre and character actors into the experience.”

Since then the Conundrum has expanded to include a Speakeasy Bar, Beer and Wine Tastings in the Dark, Burlesque Shows, and Live Music. Each experience showcases a unique story created by the staff.

“I consider myself a storyteller more than anything else.” Says Skyler Goff, who designs puzzles and narrative for the experiences, “We don’t just give you puzzles to solve, we infuse the experience with story so you really care about what you are doing. We want the guests to leave with their own story to tell. That’s when their eyes light up.”

Already having some local actors and artisans on the staff, the team concluded that to fully realize this vision, they would have to seek out others who were well-versed in character building, improvisation, and problem solving. They turned to Asheville’s unique theater and comedy scene.

“With this job, you have to think outside of the box.” Says Cary Nichols, veteran actress,. “We specifically hired people who can think for themselves and bring new things to the table. We are a creative cast of characters, not only when we are on stage, but off stage as well. It’s an extremely dynamic and creative group. ”

Phil Whiting agrees. “The Conundrum is the people who work here. It’s the people who care about it and pour their heart into the business that makes it special.”

Jeff Catanese, who performs for the Conundrum and directs for his own Attic Salt Theatre Company, said “A big part of my joy is just having fun with the guests. It feels like a personal mission. I want everyone to have a great time.”

Having such a talented and dedicated crew keeps Verbrugghe confident. “I think the reason why this place works really well is because of all the talented people who work here,” he said. “You can’t have a better place to work, when prospective employees say ‘I ​want ​to work here and here is what I can offer you.’ The experience customers have at Conundrum is a direct result of the wealth of creativity our team brings to the table.”

To inquire about all that Enter the Conundrum has to offer, please go to their web site at Enter the Conundrum.com, or call (828) 214-7824