To Die For
The Engagement
Party—a dark comedy, murder mystery, dinner-theatre is playing at Gray Gables
Estate, 3009 SE Chestnut Street, Portland, OR 97267. It is written by Doug Sellers, produced by
Jennifer Berryhill and directed by Meghan Daaboul.
For more details on
the show/experience/ food visit the Eventbrite page:
This venue for a
theatre experience may be new to some.
Food and drinks are served in a restaurant-like atmosphere, while actors
perform around (and sometimes) with you
to enact a story. In this case, two
feuding, rich families in which, at some point, one of the guests is murdered
and it is up to you, and a detective, Bronson (the author, Doug Sellers), to
solve the crime.
The plot is more
complicated than it needs to be, but the relationships (and food) are
delicious! The Swanson’s (Bride’s
family) and the Danner’s (Groom’s family) will verbally duke it out, revealing
and unveiling the worst in humankind.
Dysfunctional doesn’t begin to describe the tongue-lashing mayhem that
will ensure.
Bride, Elizabeth
(Meghan Daaboul), with her fiancé, Mark (Dirk Foley), seem to be above the
fray, but when things get touchy, even the lovebirds can begin pecking at the
seams of the family trees. Harvey (Jeff
Brosy), Elizabeth’s father, has a special gift for the intended, or are his
intentions barbed with deceit? Francine
(Francine Raften), the Bride’s mother (and Harvey’s ex-wife)is a brassy, outspoke
she-wolf, but are her bites worse than her howls? And Kinnedy (Caralynn Rose), Harvey’s
child-bride, seems in love with fashion and status and not much else.
Robert (Michael
Rouches), Mark’s father, is obsessed with property stolen from him and schemes
to get it back. Gloria (Amber Green),
Mark’s mother, is family-oriented, as long as it benefits “her” family. Kevin (Brick Andrews), Mark’s brother, is a
playboy through and through, no matters who it hurts. And Amy (Erin Bickler), maid-of-honor, is
flirty and flighty, both in body and mind.
And then there is that pesky Bronson (Sellers), snooping about, possibly
for his own ends. And so you have it, a
perfect storm, a witch’s brew “to die for!”
To say the least,
these are not nice people but, at least, they’re entertaining for an evening,
but not someone you’d want for your next-door neighbor…or do you have neighbors
like this?!
The actors all fit
their roles to a T. In particular,
Daaboul, Raften and Sellers. And
director, Daaboul, keeps the pace moving even through the more clunky moments
in the script. The food was very good
and healthy, and the atmosphere perfect for this type of play.
I recommend this
show. If you do see it, please tell them
Dennis sent you.
--DJS
