Community Corner

Family Feud, Secret Whiskey Recipe at Heart of Murder Mystery Production

The Eagan Theater Company will present "Eat, Drink and Be Murdered" on March 14 and 15 at the Eagan Community Center.

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A secret whiskey recipe, a bitter family feud and grandma's 80th birthday.

Those are the ingredients for mayhem in the Eagan Theater Company's latest production, "Eat, Drink and Be Murdered", a slapstick murder mystery that debuts at 6 p.m. on March 14, with a second performance scheduled at 6 p.m. the following evening. Both productions will be held at the Eagan Community Center.

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The 90-minute performance includes dinner and a cash bar. Tickets are $40 per person and must be purchased prior to March 8. For more information, call Eagan's Parks and Recreation Department at 651-675-5500.

Set in Maguire's, a fictional Irish Pub in Eagan, the production follows the antics of the feuding O'Riley and McFadden clans, as they come together to celebrate the 80th birthday of the family matriarch, Rose. The elderly Rose is the only person who knows the secret ingredient ingredient to the prize whiskey produced in the family distillery—and family members on both sides of the feud are trying desperately to get her recipe.

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Before the end of the night, at least one cast member will wind up dead—and the audience will get a chance to guess the identity of the murderer.

“That everybody has a good time, that’s what we’re hoping for," Eagan Theater Company Director Kay Brown said. "Secondly, we want people to recognize that we have a theater company in the city, and that we’re always looking for new cast members to get involved."

Brown has been rehearsing with the nine-member cast since the beginning of February. This year's dinner theater production is only the second of its kind hosted by the company, Brown said. Last year, a comedic murder mystery that sold out a single performance.

The success of that endeavor convinced Brown and other theater company members to expand the production to two showings this year. The theater company may also host another performance later this year, Brown added.

Amy Kamareinen, who plays Kathleen McFadden, said her role as a money-grubbing, unscrupulous in-law is a light-hearted break from the norm.

"It’s fun to just dress up differently, and be somebody totally different than what I normally am," Kamareinen said. "It’s fun to play that role, where you get to be stuck up, stubborn."

Proceeds from the production benefit the Eagan 55+/Seniors and the Eagan Theater Company. Click here to purchase tickets. Audience members are encouraged to show their Irish spirit by wearing green, or other Irish attire. This event is intended for adult audiences.

Cast and Production Team Members

Joanna Foote
Tim Bersie-Mize
Amy Kamarainen
Jim Anderson
Pete Skarman
Judy Marder
Ken Coy
Loudi Rivamonte
Duane Brusehaver
Kay Brown
Carolyn Kompelien
Amy Kamarainen


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