!["Murder at the Monster Bash" cast members portray, from left, Conner Crump (actor Joe Chase), Ivana Crump (Kay Yarbrough) and Clark Crump (Chris Manson). They are pictured with Chablis the Wonder Dog. [PAULA HILTON | SPECIAL TO THE NEWS BULLETIN]](http://127.0.0.1/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/ghows-DA-5b944925-af0f-6dcc-e053-0100007f2d28-ba005bb8.jpeg)
CRESTVIEW — The fictional Crump family's date with death approaches Saturday evening as Act4Murder prepares for its local dinner theater presentation.
Doors open for "Murder at the Monster Bash" 6 p.m. Oct. 21 at Samuel's Roadhouse, 114 John King Road in Crestview.
"Samuel's is a really good venue for us. We love coming there," actor and manager Chris Manson said. "We've been going there over the past several months and they're good people."
The comedy troupe is the brainchild of Paula Hilton, a Northwest Florida resident who moved here from California in 2002. Hilton acted in some murder dinner theater programs in California and started writing plays after that. She opened Act4Murder in 2003. Since then, troupe members have performed at several private and public venues in Northwest Florida, as well as fundraisers.
Saturday's show takes place at a fundraising bash called HOWSA. And what does HOWSA mean? Only Ivana Crump knows for sure. She's been pretty secretive up to this point, but tonight she'll have to spill the beans, according to the play's description.
"Ivana Crump is the hostess and I play her husband Clark. And his half-brother, Conner, has been married to my wife, her sister and their other sister — you should see the family reunion," Manson said.
When asked if there's a political bent to the show, what with Crump being a possible reference to the Trump family, Manson said, "No, this is a show we've been doing for years and update it (as needed). It has nothing political going on. Paula was trying to find a name that would kind of epitomize a well-to-do family with drama.
"I've been playing Clark for about eight years."
The cast of five also includes Joe Chase as Conner and Kay Yarbrough as Ivana, and Cynthia Bergquist and Sheila Boutwell as Ivana's sisters.
Manson couldn't say much more about the show to keep from giving it away, but welcomed the audience to wear Halloween costumes in support of its theme. They can even participate directly in the show with the purchase of a VIP ticket package.
Each Act4Murder performance sports the tagline, "but don't forget… someone is going to DIE! Will you and your friends win a prize for guessing WHODUNNIT?"
Tickets for this show start at $38, which includes a three-course meal, tax and a tip. Purchase at www.act4murder.com. Call 862-2885 for additional information.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Dinner theater performance dishes up family drama