Judi Blankenship
By invitation of PC Players, which sponsored and produced this special event on Saturday, July 30, 2016, over 60 relatives, friends, guests and hangers-on along with the curious gathered at Mulberry Manor (Eagle’s Nest Ballroom) for the reading of the Will of the recently departed Duke of Mulberry. Guests were greeted by Denton the Butler (John Blankenship) and Maid Millicent (Judi Blankenship). The crowd was stunned when the family solicitor, F. Lee Laughton (Bill Greenhoot), pronounced that the Mulberry estate was going to Barlett Von Bon Bon (Neal Weckworth), a rich arms manufacturer, rather than to the Duke’s oldest son, Lord Harrison Mulberry (Jon Lindstrom). In little more than two hours Von Bon Bon was killed by an unknown assailant.
Inspector Burberry of Scotland Yard (also Neck Weckworth) led the crowd through an examination of clues, possible leads and rumors in an attempt to identify the killer. Some of the suspects thought most likely to do the deed were the Butler Denton (John Blankenship), Dr. Von Oops (Chuck Gillem), Sikh Sadji Wadji (Jerry Layne), Colonel “Fudgie” Frithingham (Karl Bergstrom) and Lady Lah Dee Dah (Carol Horan). Unfortunately, these and other suspects were incorrect. Shortly thereafter, Burberry revealed that the killer was Count Vladimer (Keith Longley), a son of the royal family born out of wedlock some 35 years earlier and taken to another country by Gypsy Germain (Melissa Kallett) to avoid family embarrassment. The Count had returned with a knife and a deed to the Manor sent with him years before.
During the course of the evening Countess Velaska (Rita Longley) conducted a séance for the Dowager Duchess of Mulberry (Kathy Mitchell) to determine which way the old Duke went after his death. Prudence Penn (Beverly Bonich), journalist for the Manchester Guardian interviewed those in attendance to sniff out any news of the old Duke. Lord Byron Cecil Shelley (Larry Gleason) read some of his romantic poetry. Margo Mulberry (Sheila Snyder), ambitious daughter of Lord and Lady Mulberry, tried to quiet the rumors of her flirting with Captain Rumprear (Tom Snyder) and Sir Henry Mallet (Frank Morgan).
The evening concluded with no one being awarded the You Got Away with Murder award. Inspector Burberry received the Super Sleuth award and Colonel Fudgie Fringham (Karl Bergstrom) and Florence Hottingale (Kim Gillum) had best male and female costumes.
PC Players wishes to thank all the characters and extras who attended and helped to make the evening so much fun.