The glitz and glamor of Hollywood will come to life at St. Charles’ Vero Voce Theater starting Saturday, but so will the darker side.
“The Final Cut” encompasses a murder mystery that But audience members can help solve.
“Eddie Cheek has written a movie, and he wants to get it published and he’s trying to get people to back it for him,” director Dennis Brown said. “He, unfortunately, stole some of the words from somebody who comes to the place. So murder ensues somehow. Somebody murders somebody.”
The dinner theater runs through May 3 at 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and at 1 p.m. Sundays at Taylor Street Pizza in Wasco. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed to the nines, as they will be guests at Eddie’s fundraising soiree.
“The point is, it’s a gala dinner,” Brown said. “So wear your best frock or your best duds and make sure everybody there shows how rich they arebecause they’ll all be donating millions to this movie.”
Audience membersalso will be interviewed as potential “sponsors” of Eddie’s movie, “The Zombie was an Alien.”
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“We’ll have a Joan Rivers type come out and interview them on the red carpet,” Brown said. “So we’re going to have fun with the audience.”
The mystery, which Brown calls “a la Ed Wood” after the infamous B movie director, will feature a cast of nine players.
“There will be potentially more than one murder for you to solve,” Brown said. “So it should be a lot of fun.”
The mystery is suitable for adults and teens, he said.
“In fact, we actually have a couple of teenagers in the show too, so it will be really perfect for them,” Brown said.
This is the second year Vero Voce, a theater and performing arts school, has presented a murder mystery dinner. The first was at the now-closed Gabby’s Kitchen in St. Charles.
“It went exceptionally well last year,” Brown said. “We were pretty much sold out for most of the performances. Unfortunately, with Gabby’s closing, we had to find somewhere else to do it.”
Now at Taylor Street Pizza, the $25 ticket is less expensive than last year’s and includes dinner, show and drink. The menu includes the choice of homemade Italian beef, Italian sausage or both; plus mostaccoli or spaghetti with marinara sauce; plus baked, fried or barbecue chicken; plus choice of two salads from: tossed, skin-on potato, cole slaw, baked beans, pasta, macaroni or cucumber and onion salad.
“You need to buy tickets soon, or they will be gone,” he said. “This is not a performance where you should expect to come to the door and expect to get in.”
Kathy Cichon is a freelance writer.
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“The Final Cut”
Vero Voce’s Murder Mystery Dinner
Saturday through May 3
Taylor Street Pizza, 40W301 IL-64, Wasco
Tickets: $25 (plus tax, gratuity)
Information: 630-584-0139