Tickets at the door for play

For the first time since we have had our annual October fundraiser, tickets for the event will be available at the door tomorrow night! If you didn’t purchase tickets earlier, here’s your chance to attend this fun-filled night of entertainment and have a very fine dinner catered by Maine Street Café. Your entertainment will be a murder mystery, “Next of Kin,” which the cast has had a lot of fun with during rehearsals.

For dinner, there will be a choice of tri-tip steak or chicken piccata, served with oven-roasted potatoes, oven-roasted mixed fresh veggies, a tossed green salad, rolls and butter, along with water, iced tea and coffee. For dessert, we’ll have the so very delicious cupcakes much like the ones served last year, which were a big hit. Tickets are $30 per person (12 years and older) and allow one turn through the buffet line. A cash bar will also be available.

Basically, here’s the plot (thanks to Teresa Summer’s summary, which I slightly edited): “The story is about Big Daddy (District Attorney Art Mallory), a very generous supporter of CAPS, who has decided to hold a dinner to benefit his favorite charity. Also in attendance will be Big Daddy’s two sons, Ashley (Sheriff Ben Trotter) and Rhett (Jack Lazenby from NAS Fallon) and their respective wives, Melanie (local talent Brooke Mori) and Scarlett (CAPS Executive Director Teresa Summers). Big Daddy’s not-so-ambitious and bitter sister, Philly (CAPS board member Betty Duncan), will also be there to show what support she can muster for her brother’s cause.

“Big Daddy hasn’t been in the best of health lately, so his nurse, Bobbi Jo (CAPS volunteer Mandy Bowman), will be there to make sure that Big Daddy doesn’t overdo anything. Big Daddy’s ditzy ex-wife, Savannah (CCHS sophomore Sherry Nash), will also be on the scene, along with his long-time lawyer, Beulah Busty (CAPS board member Rita Hand).

“It is sad to say, but as is the case where there is money, there are people who hang on, hoping to make an impression on a wealthy friend in the chance that they will be remembered handsomely in the will. These ‘friends’ include Morticia Mugwort (CAPS board member Pauline Friedrich), Cornelius Bliss (CAPS board member Ken Wiley) and Dr. Chivago Kildaire (CAPS volunteer John Friedrich).”

Because we won’t be holding a silent auction, the largest source of funds raised in past events, donation jars will be on each table for you to contribute to the care of the dogs and cats at CAPS. We sincerely hope that you, our guests, will be as generous this year with donations as you have in past years that had silent auctions. We also hope that you stay and bid on the five live auction items at the end of the play (Art Mallory will also be our auctioneer this year).

Be sure to dress comfortably, but be forewarned that we have heard rumors about zombies making an appearance. We have been assured that they will eat what will be served in the buffet line, not any of our brains. The doors at the Convention Center will open at 5 p.m., and the play will start at 6 p.m., not 5:30 p.m. as previously stated. We want our guests to have more time to get beverages (soft drinks, beer and wine) from the bar and to get settled before “curtain time.”

Dinner will be served during intermission (around 6:30 p.m.). Toward the end of Act Two, dessert will be served, and the Evidence Sheets (which we hope that you have been filling in throughout the performance, to name the killer of Big Daddy) will be collected. A short scene will then follow, and the play ends. We look forward to giving you a night full of laughter and fun.

As a final note, tomorrow morning will be the last day to buy raffle tickets for the beautiful 15-gallon blireiana plum tree (valued at $79.99) that Flower Tree Nursery has donated to benefit CAPS. This tree has striking leaf color in the fall and fragrant pink blossoms in the spring. Tickets are $1 each or six for $5.The drawing will be held tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m., and you don’t have to be present to win.

This week’s article was contributed by Betty Duncan, a member of the CAPS board of directors.