Andrea Molberg
Under the direction of Susan Sterling, Community Circle Players (CCP) brought seven performances of The Mafioso Murders to sold out crowds in SaddleBrooke One’s Vistas and SaddleBrooke TWO’s Ballroom. More than 1,000 people attended the hilarious dinner theatre mystery, watched the Godfather and his daughter Tootsie get bumped off, and tried to guess “who dun it.”
Though few in the audience succeeded in naming both murderers, each night three correct hunches were rewarded with “hooch” (wine) from CCP and the food and beverage departments. Producer Shawne Cryderman, who also played mob boss Angel Scampini, praised the professional food and beverage staff of both HOAs for all their help and raved about the cast and crew.
Everyone, with the support of assistant director Carol Merlini, worked to bring perfection to the godfather’s birthday party and transport the audience to an Italian restaurant circa 1929. For this all-volunteer production, performers—some veteran actors, some new—rehearsed for months. Sets, costumes and props were procured through donations from friends and family or created by cast and crew who also tended to sound and lighting.
The characters’ names like Sal Minella, Miss Trial, Abby Cus, Sgt. McBribery and Dr. Rusty Blade added to the fun. Who can forget Rocko’s boxer shorts, Aunt Chovie’s love of money, Foxy Hyde’s furs and Black Widow Betty’s nine husbands? And then there was Tipsy’s Marilyn Monroe imitation, Mickey as Jolson, Mugsy’s spiffy appearance and the confessions.
Having joined in the singing, laughed at the left-hand man and witnessed a dumb Dora’s corpse rolled off on a dining cart, SaddleBrooke’s huge audiences are already asking about next year’s performance!