Anyone who has attended murder mystery dinner show produced and directed by Patrice Messina can count on two things happening.
First, the show will be hilarious. Second, longtime fishing charter boat captain and amateur actor Skip Bradeen will be the first to meet his maker.
“Skip Bradeen’s in a lot of these shows and I kill him right away,” said Messina with a laugh.
“He makes a toast and he drinks and then, depending on Skippy’s mood, he either falls slowly to the ground or he gargles; anyhow, he manages somehow to die. I never know what he’s going to do, honestly,” she continued.
“Lethal Luau” is Messina’s most recent murder mystery production. The first performance took place on March 22. The second and last show takes place Saturday, April 5 at the Elks Lodge 1872 in Tavernier. Messina has been producing the dinner theater murder mystery events for more than 20 years and says this show is a winner.
“It’s really quite hysterical; my cast has taken it over the top,” said Messina. “This might be the best cast I’ve had yet,” she added.
The cast consists of six suspects and Messina, who serves as the MC, director and investigating officer. Three of the actors have been in other Mystery Players productions, and three are brand-new to this kind of theater, which involves a lot of finger pointing and shenanigans as cast members try to solve a murder.
This is the second time Debbie Hess has acted in a Mystery Players production. She’s been performing for years, but the middle school teacher says this experience is unique.
“It’s a whole different animal,” Hess said. “There’s a lot of energy, you do a lot of interaction with the audience and it’s really fun; it’s completely different than stage theater.”
Kim Harrington plays snooty socialite Holly Day. In real life she works for the Village of Islamorada’s Planning Department. This was her first murder mystery. Initially, Harrington did not want to be in the show, fearing she would not be able to fit it into her schedule. But Messina, who can be very persuasive, eventually persuaded her to join the cast.
“That would have been a bummer if I didn’t do it, because this has been a great experience, so I’m glad she was persistent,” said Harrington.
Rebekah Susa is also new to the Mystery Players. The last time she was in a play was over 20 years ago. But the charter boat captain is in a band, Generation Gap, and performs monthly at Island Grill. That experience of being on stage and learning lyrics helped Susa prepare for this show.
“I think I was the first to know all my lines,” said Susa with a laugh. She plays an innocent-looking Hawaiian hula dancer.
This is Clay Crocket’s third murder-mystery performance. The owner of Coral Keys Party Rentals says he keeps coming back because it’s so much fun. He loves the audience interaction and the fact that the show is loosely scripted, allowing for a lot of improvisation.
“It makes it more fun because we like to push the envelope, get them participating and laughing a lot,” said Crocket.
Also starring is Robert Pozo, who has performed in both Key Players and Mystery Players productions. In Lethal Luau, Pozo plays a surfer dude looking for that perfect wave.
Mike Klimpl plays a camera-toting, bumbling tourist. This is Klimpl’s first time in a Mystery Players show.
“Mike tackled his role like a champ. I’m real proud of him,” said Messina.
The comedy and Hawaiian-themed meal are all for a great cause. Money raised goes to the Elks scholarship fund for local high school students. Messina estimates between the two performances, the Mystery Players will raise $10,000 in scholarship money. The Elks are the second largest scholarship donors in the Upper Keys, behind the Upper Keys Rotary.
Doors open at 5:45 p.m. and the show starts promptly at 6:30 p.m. To purchase tickets visit floridakeyselks.com. Attendees are urged to dress up in Hawaiian-themed attire and there will be a prize for the best costume.
