by Jeanni Ritchie
We loaded up the Expedition, hit the interstate, and arrived at the Venue on Front Street for a night of food, drinks, and….murder! Presented by NSU Theatre and Dance in the makeshift speakeasy in Natchitoches, Sylvia, Carlina, Brenda, Alice, Tawney and I scrutinized every word and action in their summer dinner theatre production of I Love You to Death.
Table K was going to solve this murder!
Delivered in separate acts between courses of soup, salad, entree, and dessert, the mystery and history of the Capos and Montanos unfolded with dramatic flair.
No spoilers here but I will say that I should’ve trusted my initial instincts!
Everyone at my table had ordered the chicken option which gave us such creative dishes as The Basil Betrayal Tomato Soup, A Berry Good Alibi, Fowl Play Grilled Chicken Breast, and The Double Cross Cheesecake.
The food was divine! The conversation was great- I attend a lot of shows alone so going with friends is always special. The cast (also our servers) interacted with the audience during the show as well as throughout each course.
Delighting a packed house were CenLa native Angel-Lena Wade, Tyler Sibley, Jezek Maxwell, Shayanna Beatty, and Halle Ortega.
We had an incredible evening at this annual event. Northwestern continues to produce stellar productions and I look forward to each one.
I Love You to Death is directed by Robert Richoux and aided by the production team of William Sawyer (Scenic Design), Andy Killion (Sound Design), Roseanna Files and Tyla Stewart (Stage Managers), and Justine Busby (Ticketing and Sales).
The speakeasy mystery runs through June 28. Make your reservations on Eventbrite.com.
Also available for purchase on Eventbrite is the summer dinner theatre musical tribute, Dinner and Doo-Wop. I always love both the murder mystery and the musical tribute each year and this year is no exception. The next show runs July 22-26 and July 29- August 2.
Go alone and make new friends at your table or fill up your car with friends and enjoy it together. Either way you are going to have a fabulous time!
For more information contact NSU Theatre and Dance at 318-357-4483 or email busbyj@nsula.edu.
