The Kirby Hill House has been home to a murder mystery dinner theater each weekend during the months of March and September for 23 years. According to producer Nancy Gandy, who has been affiliated with the theater group since its inception, there is a sellout crowd for each performance.
“It hasn’t always been this way, but these days, tickets are sold out within 48 hours,” Gandy said.
Tickets go on sale a couple of months prior to each performance month. To secure tickets on time for September shows, follow them on Facebook: Kirby-Hill House Murder Mystery Dinner Theater.
“All our efforts here are directed toward maintaining this 122-year-old mansion,” Rose Hall, president of the not-for-profit organization, said.
Guests are invited to dress in vintage attire, specifically from the 1940s. The doors open sharply at 6:30 p.m., and seating is assigned in advance. If you have special requests, please let them know when you purchase your tickets. For example, if you need a couples table for celebrating a special occasion, or a table large enough to seat your entire party and/or would like to keep your party together, they will do their best to accommodate.
The event from start to finish is three and a half hours, ending at 10 p.m. Attendees are invited to look around the mansion before and after the performance.
While dining, guests enjoy a four-course meal catered by Mama Jack’s “Almost Famous” Restaurant located in Kountze. A sample menu includes seafood deviled eggs, spicy pineapple dip served with crackers, and charcuterie cones for appetizers. The soup course is “the legendary” cream of baked potato soup with spring salad and raspberry vinaigrette dressing. Chicken piccata with lemon and capers in a white wine sauce, herb and garlic roasted mashed potatoes, Mama Jack’s famous green beans, Tuscan tomatoes, and a roll round out the main course. A dessert of chocolate mousse with coffee completes the evening meal. Tea and water are provided. Guests are allowed to bring in their own dinner wine, one bottle for every two guests.
Between courses, the space in between tables becomes the stage for the murder mystery performance. Each season has its own new play, so guests can continue to be surprised about “whodunit” season after season.
“We always ask our guests to keep the murderer to themselves, so it is not spoiled for the next group,” Kacey Sammons, Master of Ceremonies and Technical Director, said. During the fourth scene, the audience is asked to guess the identity of the murderer. “Pay close attention to the clues,” Sammons said.
Everyone who attends is included in a drawing for a prize at the end of the evening, and those who guess the murderer correctly, have a chance to win a second prize.
The cast practices twice a week for a few months prior to each production. Tryouts are open, but there are more than just actors needed. They also need dedicated stagehands, food handlers, and hostesses who live nearby. In the most recent production, nine actors made up the cast. Three of them family members, and one has been acting with the group on and off for 20 years. He is a leukemia survivor who recently underwent a stem cell transplant and is now in remission. Six cast members are first timers onstage with a Kirby Hill House production. All of them are volunteers. Sheryl Brocato, a Kountze resident for 25 years, is serving her first year as director of the performances.
The Kirby-Hill House was built in 1902 by James L. Kirby, brother and business partner to John Henry Kirby, a pioneer in the lumber industry. The property was purchased in 1992 from the last surviving family member, using donations from local businesses and individuals, and a 501c3 was officially established.
According to Gandy, a set of the original fine china from the home was recently discovered and sold to the organization for display.
“We have a picture of the china as it was displayed in the hutch when the home was new, and were able to place each piece back into its original position on the shelves. There is so much history preserved here.”
In addition to the murder mystery events, each Christmas they host a “Vegas-style” Christmas musical dinner show, and the mansion is fully decorated for the holidays. Other musical shows are planned throughout the year. For information on upcoming shows, you are encouraged to follow their social media.
The mansion is also a bed and breakfast, and can be rented overnight, or for weddings, parties, and other events.
