Before 3D, or HD TVs, or The Office there was 3-2-1 Contact and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Before Orson Welles’ War of the Worlds, FDR’s Fireside Chats, or even Mark Twain—there were the Brothers Grimm. Somewhere in the last two centuries their stories were diluted, Disneyed, and drowned in an ocean of happily-ever-after flavored glitter. At The Reef restaurant in Long Beach, a four-act murder mystery shares the stage with a three-course meal for a tasty evening of dinner theatre.
Paul Vander Roest brings another original installment of Act Out Mystery Theatre to Long Beach harbor with several delicious twists. As AOMT productions go, spoofs are the way to go, and every sweet little bite of Happily Ever After you gobbled up as a kid is about to be tossed into the harbor (which is actually gorgeous in the background of the performance through the windows of The Reef). Alongside an ensemble of actors playing multiple characters, Vander Roest brings storybook pages to life with Mother Grimm (Phyllis M. Nofts), a fairy godmother (Robin Mattocks), the Big Bad Wolf, and almost every Grimm character creation you can name in one breath in Once Upon A Murder.
By nature of the murder mystery, two things are required: murders and questions, and Once isn’t stingy with either. Audience members even get a chance to place ballots to test their sleuthing skills and answer the classic question, “Whodunit?” The winner receives a Star Detective award, only to be rivaled by the Misty Award, given to the (audience-voted) Best Performance of an Audience Member.
If you’ve never experienced dinner theatre, murder mystery dinner theatre to be specific, then Once Upon A Murder is a good initiation run. With all the spoofed names, recognizable characters make it easier to keep track of. Puns are in no shortage, and with election year in full swing, a healthy serving of political digs make it into the show as well. If you’re a follower of the AOMT company, then this may be the best one yet. Attribute it to the life-sized fairy tale pages coming to life in front of your face, the killer costumes, or the delicious dialogue, but any way you serve it, Once Upon A Murder is a great choice for an evening out.
Rating: 4 out of 5 masks.
Act Out Mystery Theatre’s Once Upon A Murder has a limited run, and many of the public performances have already sold out, so please visit their website here, call 562-961-9862, or email contact@actoutmystery.com for more tickets and dinner reservations.
Once Upon A Murder is written/directed by Paul Vander Roest.
Also starring are:
- Lorrie Freilich
- Randall J. Goddard (swing)
- Michael Martinez
- Robin Mattocks
- Phyllis M. Nofts
- Melinda Parker
- Jillian Yim
They also accept bookings for private parties! Spice up your event with an original murder mystery involving plenty of audience participation.
Check out The Reef’s menu selections here to see what you have to look forward to in between acts!
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