Sleuths Mystery Dinner Show551

Families looking for a dinner theatre experience that features more thoughtful audience interaction (as opposed to cheering for a red, blue, or green pirate or knight, for example) - and much better food - should make a reservation at Sleuths, our hands-down favorite dinner show. The enthusiastic and hysterical cast have a rotating repertoire of who-dunnits, ranging from a fox hunting banquet to a college reunion to a wedding... and beyond. The show we saw, The Family Tree, is set at an English estate owned by a scientist whose specialty is cloning. The script does have a few risque elements, but most of them sailed over the heads of the children in the audience, and a wonderful time was had by all ages. Our table included three older women celebrating a birthday and a family of five (including two children and a grandmother) who'd driven to Orlando from Worcester, MA. After gathering in the shop/ticketing/bar area for hors d'oeuvres, the audience is called by table number into the dining room - round tables of ten all offer fine views of the small stage. Once the game is afoot, each table works as a team to look for clues and come up with questions for the cast that will help everyone determine who dunnit (usually a murder) and why. The food (audience members choose from prime rib, cornish game hen, or lasagna when reservations are made; the prime rib carries a $3 surcharge) is delicious. Dessert choices include chocolate cake or strawberry shortcake. The Merry Mystery Dinner Adventure, a lunch or early dinner show specifically for kids, can be booked as a birthday party option or as a family treat. The two shows, The Faire of the Shire and The Magical Journey of Juniper Junior are mysteries without murder (and with less innuendo than the regular shows) and offer a great opportunity to kids to work together using brain power to solve the crime. The kids' shows are also less expensive: $16/child; $28/adult.