Fat Tuesday – or Mardi Gras as it is called in French – is known for parades, music, elaborate costumes and, most of all, over-indulgence.
This Fat Tuesday, Feb. 17, Upper Keys theatergoers will have a chance to feast on a traditional four-course Cajun meal, while solving a hilarious murder mystery at the same time.
“It’s going to be Cajun food catered by Todd at Calypso’s,” said Mystery Players founder and show director Patrice Messina. “We’ve never had it catered before; we’ve always used the Elks.”
Chef Todd Lollis will cater the New Orleans-inspired fare from Calypso’s Seafood Grille. The entertainment will be provided courtesy of the Mystery Players.
“Everybody loves Mardi Gras,” added Messina, who has been entertaining audiences with her Mystery Players productions for 20 years.
The show takes place at the Elks Lodge in Tavernier, with a second performance scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 28. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the shows start at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $75 apiece and that includes a four-course Cajun catered meal. Mardis Gras-themed attire is encouraged but is optional. There will be a costume contest and a 50/50 raffle.
“I think if they come in costume and really embrace the Mardi Gras aspect of it, they will get into it,” said Mystery Players actor Craig Zabransky. He said audience participation is highly encouraged.
“It’s that instant gratification of seeing people react to what you do on stage,” said actor Robert Pozo of the thrill of interactive theater. Pozo’s wife Gaby is also in the show.
“Murder at Mardi Gras” is described as blending humor, suspense and Mardis Gras flair.
The show begins with the untimely death of party host and eccentric billionaire Pierre Dupre. Longtime Islamorada fishing charter captain Skip Bradeen plays Dupre.
Over the years, Bradeen has been killed off in several Mystery Players productions. Messina jokes he is always the first to go because he can’t remember his lines. He’s known for delivering an over-the-top performance.
“Skip’s hard to kill, as you’ve seen,” said Messina with a chuckle. “He has a tendency to come back to life; he forgets he’s dead.”
After the murder, Dupre’s complicated relationships come to light and everyone is a suspect.
There’s a jilted younger wife, an illegitimate uninvited nephew, a flamboyant personal chef, a flirty maid, a wealthy novelist neighbor, a spoiled daughter and her swamp tour guide fiancé and a suspicious family attorney. There’s no shortage when it comes to motives for murder.
Debbie Hess plays Dupre’s scheming much younger wife, Melissa F. Dupre, who is not happy she was left out of her billionaire husband’s will.
“We were married for a quarter of a year, you know; that was months and the fact that he did that to me, I’m just very, very hurt,” said Hess of her character.
When not acting in murder mysteries, Hess is a teacher at Treasure Village Montessori. Proceeds from the Feb. 17 show will go to her school.
“This is my third show and the proceeds coming to my school is dear to my heart,” said Hess.
Proceeds from the Feb. 28 performance will be donated to the nonprofit J.O.Y. (Just Older Youth) center in Islamorada.
Like Hess, almost all of the actors in “Murder at Mardis Gras” have been in other Mystery Players productions.
Billy Quinn is the exception.
“I always wanted to be an actor but I never got a chance,” said Quinn.
Quinn’s girlfriend, fellow cast member Kim Harrington, encouraged him to take a part. He’s new to the acting troupe, and is playing Matthew “Gator” Leblanc, who is engaged to the victim’s daughter, Alexis Dupre.
“I’m swamp dirt to her dad,” added Quinn of his character.
In the middle of all of the Mystery Players drama, a real-life love story has evolved. Last year, two actors in another murder mystery production, “Lethal Luau,” met at rehearsal and fell in love.
“I was on the verge of throwing in the towel,” said newlywed Clay Crockett of his quest to find a soulmate.
“He asked me to practice lines together and he couldn’t remember any of his lines,” recalled Rebekah Susa, now Rebekah Crockett, of how she met her husband, Clay.
The two tied the knot in January. Fresh off their honeymoon, they each have roles in Murder at Mardis Gras; she plays the attractive live-in maid and he plays the Cajun chef.
Tickets can be purchased by scanning the QR codes.
