EAST SYRACUSE MINOA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT – An audience is set to gather in Pine Grove Middle School’s auditorium later this month for a dining experience and some after-dark detective work.
From 7 to 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 18, East Syracuse Minoa’s DECA chapter will present its previously postponed murder mystery theater.
The upcoming whodunnit is based around a comedic script called “Dinner at Eight, Dead by Nine” that was written by playwright Michael Druce and acquired by the school district’s DECA group through the licensing company Pioneer Drama Service.
Presumed to take up about 45 minutes of the event’s three-hour duration, the interactive onstage performance will feature ESM drama students and various staff members in starring roles as a series of clues are relayed to the crowd. By the end of the night, a prize will be awarded to whoever pinpoints the guilty party and their motive, thus solving the fictitious murder.
“I think we have a super diverse cast,” said Natalie Quonce, the DECA chapter’s treasurer. “It’s a group of people that you wouldn’t think would ever act in a play together. It can be somebody’s favorite teacher or their best friend that they’ll want to see.”
All of the proceeds from the event will directly benefit Helping Hounds Dog Rescue, a favorite nonprofit of recently deceased faculty member David Brandon according to the DECA group’s co-advisor Joseph Musolino.
The Syracuse-based rescue organization rehomes neglected, abused or otherwise homeless dogs and provides them with different forms of support.
The night’s resulting donation will be made in the name of the late English teacher, who passed away shortly after the 2020-2021 school year from a lingering heart ailment.
The recognition of Brandon’s memory as the inspiration for the murder mystery dinner owes to his appreciation for the performing arts, having also been a one-time producer for the television soap opera “Guiding Light,” as well as his time spent as ESM’s student DECA president in the mid-1990s.
“It’s super important to us to honor such an impactful teacher in our community,” said Quonce, a senior at the district’s high school. “This project combines a lot of what he was heavily involved in, which makes it a perfect way to honor him.”
Originally scheduled for this past Dec. 7, the murder mystery show is the second fundraiser being hosted this month by ESM’s DECA club following the “New Year New Wishes Fashion Show” for Make-A-Wish Central New York that was held on Jan. 6.
The $30 tickets for the Jan. 18 event cover admission, raffle entries, catering by John & Sons Fly Road Market, and entertainment from the school band.
These tickets can be purchased through onthestage.com, and they can be found as the first result if visitors to the website scroll down to the search bar and type in “Mutt Murder Mystery.”
The promotional page also states that face masks must be worn throughout the evening whenever one is not eating or drinking.
ESM DECA (formerly known as the Distributive Education Clubs of America) spends the academic calendar preparing students to be emerging leaders in the business world as they build up management and networking skills. This particular service project has been planned by Quonce alongside fellow students Michael O’Brien and Tyler Bell.
