Mystery on the menu at Beaufort dinner theater. Audience makes every night different
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The menu is about the only thing that will stay the same each time the Play and Eat Dinner Theater opens its doors during its second season in Beaufort.
“You just never know what people might do,” said Michael McNeil, the writer, producer, director and host of the interactive murder mystery event planned on 10 select Saturdays from March 4 through July 1 in Beaufort.
The show is immersive, and even though there are five to six actors and a script, moving the story forward requires audience participation.
“It is different every night because of the audience members,” McNeil said, and once people have a glass of wine, they tend to loosen up.
This is why the show is recommended for ages 15 and up, and adult supervision is required for teens to attend.
Audience members can opt out if they’d prefer, but most attend because they want to participate, McNeil explained.
“It’s a fun evening where people can let their hair down,” he said.
According to the dinner theater’s website, “The murderer is hiding somewhere in the room, and you may find yourself as one of the suspects if you don’t watch out.”
McNeil said some audience members will be given clues and others may be planted throughout the space, including in the restroom.
McNeil grew up in Beaufort and worked as an actor in Atlanta and New York before moving back to Beaufort because of COVID-19 shutdowns. Now, when he’s not working on the dinner theater, he is a nail tech and has his own line of organic skin products.
What to expect
Dinner and the show unfold over 2 1/2 hours from 6 to 8:30 p.m.
Main course options are honey-glazed salmon, lemon herb chicken or a vegetarian stuffed pepper, but hors d’oeuvres, salad and dessert are also on the menu.
The venue, Hilton Garden Inn at 1500 Queen St., can seat 50 people, and tickets must be purchased via playandeatdinnertheater.com by noon on the Friday before a show. Single tickets are either $105 or $125, and a table of seven is $714.
McNeil said dressing up is not required, but some people do. He describes the dress code as business casual/dressy casual. Jeans are OK, but logo or printed T-shirts, shorts, ball caps, flip flops and torn clothes are not.
Tickets are also available for nights McNeil will take the show on the road to Savannah and Charlotte. Jacksonville and Atlanta dates also are planned.
For more information, visit the website, email playandeatdinnertheater@gmail.com or call 843-592-6209.
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This story was originally published March 1, 2023 at 10:28 AM.
