Theater group brings murder mystery to Albion for Mother’s Day

Lake Plains Players welcomes audience participation

Provided photo/Lance Anderson – A 10-person cast from the Lake Plains Players will perform Killing Sarah, a murder mystery, at The Cabaret at Studio B on Sunday at 2 p.m.

ALBION – The Lake Plains Players will spend part of Mother’s Day performing a murder mystery show at the Cabaret at Studio B in Albion.

“It’s just what mom wants: a murder mystery,” joked Andy Spragge, director of the show.

The Lake Plains Players, a local community theater group, is trying its first non-musical that includes audience participation. The crowd will have a chance to help solve a murder in the play called “Killing Sarah.”

In the show, the CEO of EastRich Enterprises has died, and four contenders for CEO plot to either woo Sarah, the CEO’s sole surviving heir, or have her killed.

Spragge has been in theater for more than 30 years, performing in many shows with the Players. He is returning to directing after a five-year break.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” he said. “I really love the process.”

The cast performed the show Friday as part of a dinner theater at Becker Farms in Gasport. The 2 p.m. show Sunday includes desserts and drinks at the Cabaret, 28 West Bank St., Albion.

The audience are all shareholders in EastRich Enterprises. They will vote for the company’s new leader. Another character in the show will die.

“The audience helps figure out the mystery,” Spragge said. “The audience is integral to it because they are part of the company.”

The show has lots unpredictability due to the uncertainty with audience responses.

“There is a lot of improvisation that goes on,” Spragge said. “There will be some unpredictability.”

Tickets for Sunday’s show are available at the door.