(Posted 1 p.m., Aug. 8)
Murder
mystery dinner production a real brain-teaser
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online
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A
deceased Ina Snit is attended after apparently
being poisoned during the Vintage Stock Theatre
production of 'Dying for a Drink'. Fred Sherwin/Photo
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Vintage
Stock Theatre's latest murder mystery production will
have the audience doing mental cartwheels as they try
to figure out whodunit.
"Dying
for a Drink" is based on a clever script written by
Emelie Perron-Clow about a town struggling under the strain
of the Ontario Temperance Act which banned the sale of alcohol
in the province from 1916 to 1926.
The
play revolves around eight central characters. There's
Ina Snit, the town Queen bee and the only member of the
local chapter of the Womens Christian Temperance
Union; Meredith Cantile, the owner of the general store;
Beatrice "Bea" Haven, the town's school teacher
who's planning a party where spirits will no doubtedly
be served; train station master Alan "Al" Aboard;
the town physician, Dr. Hippolyte Craties; Mic Ahnic,
who owns the town's only garage; newspaper editor Leona
Type; her son L.J. Type Jr.; Ryta Much, a school girl
from Ottawa posing as a newspaper reporter; Jerry Halliday,
an off duty OPP officer whose constant companion is a
flask ful of hutch; and Ina Snit's husband Calvin Snit.
The
play begins at the museum's train station and then unfolds
through the museum grounds until the murder occurs at
the bandstand. By the time the crime taks place, at least
six of the characters could be considered as a prime suspects.
It's up to the members of the audience to figure out just
which one it is.
The
bonus of the murder mystery dinner theatre format is that
you can do your sleuthing whle enjoying your catered dinner
under an outdoor shelter. The audience also has the luxury
of questionning the characters as they mingle from table
to table.
The
culprit is ony revealed after the dessert is served.
Vintage
Stock Theatre has been conducting murder mysteries at
the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum for more than 12
years now and they've perfected the genre to the delight
of audiences many of whom have become regular attendees.
"Dying
for a Drink" will be perfromed on Tuesday, Nov. 10and Friday, Feb. 23. There are still plenty of tickets
left for the Aug. 16 performance which takes place at
5 p.m. To pre-order your tickets simply go to www.eventbrite.ca.
The cost os $60 per ticket and includes a three course
meal catered by Desjardins Catering.
(This
story was made possible thanks to the generous support of
our local business partners.)
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