Murder mystery dinner show set
A new murder mystery opens tonight in Cape Coral.
“Murder in Margarita Land” is an interactive mystery story served over dinner at the Elks Lodge in the southeast Cape.
Written and directed by Jessica Withers, the story follows the murder of a bartender at a tropical resort. The audience must help to unravel the mystery, as it becomes part of the show.
Cape-based Withers wanted to bring an exciting level of entertainment to her neighbors by keeping it in the Cape. She also thought it prudent to use Cape-based actors.
“I’m doing it Cape Coral because I’m safe, so to speak,” Withers said. “My family is here, it’s my community and it’s good for the community when it comes to entertainment. We all go to Fort Myers, to Naples … so I thought maybe we should stay here.”
Withers was a long-time food and beverage manager for a major local country club when she got the idea of putting on a murder mystery show.
She found that hiring a company was too expensive. It put her on the road to form her own company, eventually chasing that dream full time when she was laid off from the country club job.
“I got laid off and I had to get a job … instead I opened my own company,” she said.
Over The Top Productions was formed a year ago. Withers plans on having three rotating shows throughout the Cape.
“Murder in Margarita Land” is only playing once at the Elk’s Lodge, but Withers has a full-time engagement at Cape Harbour. That mystery – separate from “Margarita” – will play out aboard a dinner cruise every last Saturday of the month.
The show, “Murder of a Millionaire,” will have the killer sitting among dinner patrons as they try to solve the crime.
Withers said dates for the show might expand if the production proves to be a success.
“If it works well, we might have a show once a week or once every 15 days,” she said.
The $40 ticket price includes an all-you-can-eat dinner buffet and the show. A ticket to just watch the show is $20.
For more information, call Withers at 898-6542.