A1

By Hanne Armstrong

Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

Speak Up

One of the people serving your dinner is a murderer. You heard the gunshot and you saw the victim drop on the stage right in front of you. Now it's up to you: you can join in the sleuthing or sit back and observe it all. Either way an evening spent at McSweeney's Dinner Theatre while their current play is on will be an evening filled with laughs, mystery, music and great food.

Enlarge Photo

GREG AGNEW/TIMES & TRANSCRIPT

The cast of McSweeney’s Dinner Theatre performs an a capella song during the show. They are, from left, front row: Nicole Maillet, Cody Harrison and Becky Tucker. Back row: Matt Bauchman, Dan Lovely and Joey Paquin.

Who Shot the Boss? is another production written, staged and directed by Mike Allison. It started its McSweeney's run on September 11 and keeps going until January 17, 2010.

"So far audience response to this play has been very positive," says owner Rosalind Miller. "Just about everybody can identify with the story, and it's suitable for a general audience."

The play is set in an office. Any office, anywhere. Could be yours. There's Madison, the ditzy potential hire, played by Nicole Maillett. Matthew Bauckman is loser guy Graham, and Joey Paquin plays weird office guy Qbert. Stephanie, the uptight personal assistant, is played by Rebbeca Tucker, while womanizing Pierce, the president of the social committee, is played by Daniel Lovely. Cody Harrison takes on the roles of Benny the guard as well as that of Jordan, the boss we all love to hate.

As usual at McSweeney's, the actors stay in character while serving the meal, so watch out for any betraying little mannerisms or slips of the tongue when the food is brought around. To be part of the cast means you have to be versatile, ready to go from music to acting to improvisation to proper food serving; this isn't a career choice for the faint of heart. Music accompanying Who Shot the Boss? will be songs like Working 9-5 and other workplace favourites.

Who Shot the Boss? was written exclusively for McSweeney's by Mike, a Florenceville NB native. Mike has been writing full time for six years, and spends time wherever his productions are being staged. He was in Moncton to audition the cast, direct them while they rehearsed nearly all day every day for two and a half weeks, design the sets and select costumes. Then, as is the norm in dinner theatre, he left when performances began. Mike spends most of his time now in Toronto, where he writes songs, plays, commercials and is trying to break into the world of sitcom.

"We wanted an office theme for this play, and murdering the boss is something everybody feels like they'd like to do sometimes," says Mike.

The office-based theme is eminently suited to upcoming Christmas office parties. In fact, McSweeney's is booking up quickly for these annual workplace events, so book now is the message from Ros. And starting in October there'll be a special Christmas package price deal available for the production.

"Or you could come after Christmas," she suggests. "We're staging the play until mid January for people who don't have the time or inclination to see it in the rush before Christmas."

Whether you take in the show before or after the holidays, with friends, co-workers or family, you'll be treated to the same excellent quality menu.

At a peek, it starts with a salad, mussels steamed in white wine and garlic. Then choose from lobster-crusted haddock, beef roasted mushroom and red wine au jus, or chicken Oscar and asparagus, each with a choice of mashed potatoes or rice and a side dish of mixed bean almondtine. Getting hungry? The meal winds up with a piece each of chocolate and vanilla torte with French vanilla ice cream. There are, of course, main course vegetarian options.

Right now the dinner theatre is open for your pleasure beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and one Sunday per month. The Christmas schedule starts mid November, with McSweeney's doors opening every day except Monday. The price per ticket, for dinner and the play, is $40.62, taxes included. Children 12 and under are half price. For group rates and reservations, call 857-9114, or drop in to the box office at 700 Main Street Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays 2 to 6 p.m., or on show nights when the doors open at 6 p.m. And if you like Who Shot the Boss?, you might want to come back for the next play, which will be McSweeney's very first country-rock show.