Murder Mystery Dinner Theater

Was there a murder or wasn’t there? This is a question you will be asking yourself if you attend our Murder Mystery Dinner Theater on Oct. 24 at the Fallon Convention Center.

Picture if you will a beautiful meadow with swaying stalks of green grass and the aroma of beautiful flowers. If you pictured it, you would not be anywhere near the setting for this year’s play, “Sherlock Hounds and the Upper Crust.” This play was written by Bob Gabrielli specifically for our October fundraiser.

The story explores the mysterious death of Lassie Reddog Ruther —— a very rich, eccentric old woman—who made her millions with multi-flavored dog treats and mixed-breed dog shows. Teresa Summers, CAPS’ executive director, will do her best to bring Lassie to life or death, whichever the case may be.

Could the guilty party be her much younger and devoted second husband, Rex Ruther? Ben Casad, a local thespian, will portray Lassie’s somewhat “special” younger husband.

Lassie’s son, Clifford T. Reddog, would certainly benefit financially from his mother’s demise. He does have money troubles. David Doll is not only portraying Clifford in our sordid affair but is also lending his talents to directing our Murder Mystery.

Perhaps the guilty party is Sandy, the scientist and baker who creates Lassie’s dog treats and who Rex secretly admires. Megan Salazar, stationed at Naval Air Station Fallon, will lend her acting talents to this very smart younger woman.

Then there is Katherine “Kitty” Garfield, who can best be described as having too many cat toys in her attic — if you know what we mean. Kitty is also bitter because her one true love chose Lassie over her. Diane Peters, a CAPS’ volunteer and talented actress, will bring Kitty to life as only she can.

Last, but certainly not least, is Odie Rintintinius III—president of Timmisdone and Thewell, the elite, pure-breed dog show—who fears Lassie’s mixed-breed shows will put him out of business. Steve Fraker is lending his acting talents to our production this year. He will bring Odie Rintinitius III to life in body and soul.

Mike Irby will be providing both the musical accompaniment and sound effects to our little mystery. He will have nothing to do with the evening’s mishap.

Don’t worry because you will not have to navigate through this craziness by yourself; Sherlock Hounds will be there to help you every step of the way. That would of course depend on his ability to stay focused and not get sidetracked with a stapler, light socket and other items. Michael Peters, a seasoned actor, will lend his talents to bringing Sherlock Hounds to life for the audience.

Churchill County High School Culinary class will be our caterers this year. There will be tossed salad with ranch dressing, tri-tip in a bordelaise sauce or eggplant lasagna (a side dish or our vegetarian entree), green beans with caramelized onions and fresh dinner rolls. Fruit, cheese, and crackers plates will be at each table. Sandi Fisk will be working her magic and making her out-of-this world cupcakes. Of course, there will be water, iced tea, and coffee provided to quench your thirst or you can partake of wine, soft drinks, or beer from a keg at the bar for a small fee.

An evening of great entertainment and good food can be yours for only $35 per person. Remember, all the proceeds go toward the care of our guests at the shelter. Tickets can be purchased at the following locations: Mutts, etc; 3-Dimension Shipping; Flower Tree Nursery; Jeff’s Digitex Printing; and the CAPS shelter.

WHO’S WHO AT CAPS?

Thank you to Teresa Summers who wrote the review of our Murder Mystery. Teresa, the heart and soul of our shelter, makes everything go smoothly. Her dedication makes everyone happy.

CAPS’ NEWS AND EVENTS

CAPS will be at Wal-Mart tomorrow, along with Ki and Urtle at our Kissin’ Booth so come by and join their fan club. We have plenty of shirts and caps, so please check them out before or after greeting our canine volunteers. Tickets for our Murder Mystery will also be available.

Flower Tree Nursery is again raffling a 15-gallon tree of your choice. The raffle tickets are available at Flower Tree ($1 for one ticket and $5 for six) so be sure to get yours soon. The drawing date will be Dec. 6, and you don’t have to be present to win.

Kathleen Williams-Miller and Teresa Summers contributed this week’s column.