by dick kerekes dickkerekes@yahoo.com
The Murder Mystery Players have been presenting intrigue, adventure and murder over the past five years at Dave and Buster’s. Last Saturday I decided to rekindle my sleuth skills by attending their current mystery offering, A Policy of Murder.
The premise has been the same since the start. As an audience member, you will witness a murder and have a chance to solve the crime, by listening to the story unfold and later to question the suspects. A prize is awarded to one of the tables correctly guessing who done it.
Scott J. Smith casts and directs all the shows for the Murder Mystery Players for each show that runs on Saturday nights over several weeks. The current show will close November l8th. In addition, the group does shows for private parties at Dave and Buster’s as well as traveling to locations all over the state on occasion.
Scott uses experienced local actors since the shows and the roles can be demanding. The shows are done in a large banquet room, with no sets. The actors move around the room and between the tables as the story unfolds, so as an audience you get up close and personal with the performers.
This play was different than others I have seen here. First, it was set in l923, and featured the clothing of that period with the ladies in flapper dresses and men in double-breasted suits. Director Smith indicated that he has been using costumes more in recent shows. In addition, all the actors were miked, which works well when the room is very full and the actors move all over the place. Getting the audience involved is encouraged, and having a mike for them to speak into allows untrained voices to be heard clearly.
In A Policy of Murder we know from the program that Carl Manley (Kevin Langford) is going to be shot and killed. He was a bootlegger who was involved with the rest of the cast in nefarious ways.
Kenneth Logsdon plays George Mercherle, founder of the Fidelity Home Insurance Company, and the only character nowhere near Manley when he is shot, so he becomes an unofficial detective trying to find the killer.
Angela Libbey is Lorraine, an attractive flapper who is Mercherle’s secretary but she has a past involving Manley and has a few dirty deals going with others as well.
Alma Hofstedder is a wealthy widow, and played by Layla D. Smith. She makes her money selling a health tonic with a high alcohol content , which is as close to booze as you can get. She winds up with the gun that kills Manley, but did she do it and why?
Jason Collins as Winston Merriwehter is also an insurance agent, but has an illegal sideline selling moonshine, and he is buying or stealing it from the now deceased Manley.
Mecherle’s number one insurance salesman is Charles Wonderlin, played by Michael Smithgall with a definitely Truman Capote swish. His style included a lot of ad-libs and a lot of laughs along the way. In fact one of the pluses of this cast is that all are very capable of ad-libbing to comments made by the very involved audience.
The Murder Mystery Players provide the entertainment, and Dave and Buster’s provides the food. When you make your reservation, you will be asked for your choice of three entrées . lemon herb grilled chicken breast with béarnaise sauce or caesar crusted salmon or linguini primavera.
A third choice is a non-meat option: linguini primavera. Side dishes and fresh dinner rolls accompany each meal. Your choice of coffee or Ice tea is included. I had the salmon and found it to be a very generous portion, with good flavor and seasoning.
The wait staff brings you a very crisp and tasty caesar salad in Act I ( as the crime occurs),. Act II, your dinner is served and the suspects assemble and Act III the mystery is solved and fresh berry pound cake with whipped cream is served for desert.
The show is over about 10 PM, leaving you plenty of time to visit Dave and Buster’s famous game room with dozens of the latest electronic machines. For football fans that are may be interested in the Madden Football Game, D&B has a giant version that was very popular.
In December, The Murder Mystery Players will perform Murder by Mistletoe, a play that is available for your Christmas parties either at Dave and Buster’s or at the location of your choice. To book a show at Dave and Buster’s Restaurant call 296-1525. For booking a show outside, call 704-9599.
My New Year’s resolution for 2007 is to catch more of the Mystery Players at Dave and Buster’s. I like the food at D&B, and I stop for lunch occasionally when in the area. Happy Birthday, Dave and Buster’s and The Murder Mystery Players, here’s to another great five years.
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