NPHS Mystery Dinner Theater steals the show Dinner steals the show
Mystery Dinner is an annual theater event that took place on Feb. 7-8, staged in the NPHS cafeteria and heavily featured improvisation and audience interaction. Unique from main stage productions, the cast contained just seven characters, whose interactions shaped the plot of a murder mystery. The event included a silent auction, the proceeds of which fund scholarships for seniors in the theater program.
The theme for this year’s show was “Diamonds are for Murder,” taking place in a 1920s English mansion where mysterious murders commence. Entirely student-run, the show was interactive, especially during interrogation scenes, where anyone in the audience could ask the actors questions.
The learning process of acting in a production can be a challenge, but having to figure out the trials of directing can be even more daunting. Maxwell Hellard, senior, was this year’s student director for Mystery Dinner. “With [flexible] actors and a fun script, my directing was easy to get across,” Hellard said. Since the event was held in a small environment, Hellard had the actors walking around and mingling with the guests, coming up with answers on the spot. “There isn’t any hiding in the back of a scene or forgetting your lines, because every actor is at the forefront of every scene,” Hellard said.
One of the actors, Sebastian Hall, junior, played Brad Beaumont, a reporter constantly writing down notes on his clipboard. Since the cast consisted of only seven actors, Hall noted it was much simpler for them to work together. “It can be easier to collaborate as a cast and communicate with a smaller cast,” Hall said. Not only did a smaller cast help the actors, but also helped with direction and gave the show a sense of individuality. “[Hellard] gave us a good amount of room to explore and have creative freedom, but also gave us guidance and kept us in check.”
This year was sophomore Camden Ashbrenner’s first time being a part of a Mystery Dinner event. He enjoyed how eyes were on the actors at all times, and how the audience was expected to piece together the mystery themselves through key details and hints. “It is an immersive show, the little moments where we make the audience laugh, it creates a show that makes people feel excited,” Ashbrenner said. Working with the cafeteria as a stage, any time they were indoors, actors had to interact with guests in character and stay in character during funny moments. “It produces a stronger community within the cast and makes a fun show for the audience,” Ashbrenner said.
This production brought the 1920s world to life and transported the audience into the theatrical creation that is “Diamonds are for Murder.” Mystery Dinner theater brought in the audience to figure out the mystery and the additional thoughts that go into an interactive show. “It was such a thrill directing the show this year with the knowledge of how much fun the actual performances will turn out,” Hellard said.
