I didn’t do it!

I witnessed a murder the other night.

Well, to be honest, I didn’t actually see it happen. But I DID see Webster Public Library Director Adam Traub stagger into the library lobby and collapse, only to rise again and lurch offstage to actually “die.”

That’s how the Webster Public Library’s first-ever Murder Mystery Dinner began. The 1920s-themed event was held Sunday night, attended by about 100 murder-mystery enthusiasts dressed in their glitziest Jazz Age finery.

For the next few hours after the shocking murder, the assembled diners carefully listened to the detectives who rushed to the scene of the crime, collected clues, and tried to figure out whodunit. It wasn’t me, but I was honored to have been asked to play a small part in the production. I sat next to two actors who were playing a young couple, and my job was to deflect anyone who started suspecting them TOO much, and (as the director put it) started “waterboarding” them.

As it turned out, they never came under suspicion and we had a nice conversation … until they got into an argument and ran offstage screaming at each other (he said something about her being too stupid to teach yoga). Then we heard a shot, a scream, and the young man stumbled back through the library with a gunshot wound.

By the end of the evening, the culprit was identified and arrested (it was “Bruce Lee”), prizes were awarded, and all the actors came out of the wings, clearly uninjured.

It was SUCH a fun time. Everyone was dressed to the nines, so that it looked like we were at a fancy dinner party. Each one of us had to come up with a code name, written clearly on our name tags, and EVERYONE was a suspect. It was a very interactive event; the detectives encouraged audience participation frequently, by chanting, adding sound effects, singing, or answering pointed questions about their knowledge of the case. Perhaps a half dozen other plants were in the audience, identified as possible suspects to throw us amateur sleuths off the scent.

Library staff members did an amazing job transforming the common area into something akin to a 1920s dance hall. The table centerpieces were stunning. An actual disco ball and some very impressive decorations encircled the domed ceiling over the lobby where all the action took place. There was even a photo booth where everyone could have their glittery night on the town recorded for posterity. Mocktails were served at the dance hall “bar,” and a buffet dinner was provided by Proietti’s.

The Murder Mystery Dinner was presented by The Dinner Detective Rochester, based at the RIT Conference Center. It was funded by a grant acquired by NYS Senator Samara Brouk, with additional support from the Friends of the Webster Public Library.

Kudos to everyone involved in pulling off this great event. I hope it will NOT be the last murder at the library.

Here’s a slideshow with lots more photos from the evening:

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(posted 11/4/2024)

Tags: Missy Rosenberry, Webster NY, Webster Public Library