FEATURE
TEMPLATE
Mystery Interactive performance : A Szudejko production
Story by Paul Tanenbaum, photos by Natalie Tanenbaum
The cast and emcees: Namdar Mogharreban, Cathy Mogharreban, Jeff Butler, Beth Duncombe, Ann Hutchinson, Bob Hansen, Victor Rodarte, Carol Offerman, Ron Szudejko, and Sheila Szudejko.
September 3, 2026. On Thursday evening, in the Manzano Room, 100 residents enjoyed a mystery whodunit “bring your own” dinner show. It was also the 60th wedding anniversary of Ron and Sheila Szudejko, the writers, directors, and emcees of this wonderful interactive play. It was a fun-filled, thought-provoking, and exciting evening.
The cast
The play
Dixie Devine, an egotistical real estate tycoon, invites several celebrities to a promotional opportunity to invest in the Skypointe Health Spa and Resort. Skypointe is the first all-inclusive, low-orbiting space-station health spa and weight-loss resort. It is luxurious, glamorous, exciting, and gourmet. The plot is that all the invited guests have their own objectives, and they all have it in for Dixie. She is stabbed to death in the kitchen, and all the prospective investors are suspects.
Sheila Szudejko emcee
The process
After the emcee gave an overall introduction, all the suspects were given the opportunity to introduce themselves to the audience and explain their connection to the event. None of the suspects knew whether they were guilty.
Each suspect then went around to each table for five minutes, explaining their involvement and answering questions. - Click on an image to enlarge
Suspect Garret Grinder, Bob Hansen, being interviewed by Al and Kathleen DiStasio
Suspect Shalamar, Ann Hutchison, talking to table slueths
Suspect, Frankie Franchetti, Victor Rodarte, chats with a table of slueths
Each audience member was then given the opportunity to cast a vote for whom they thought was the killer. - Click on an image to enlarge.
One hundred atendees
Juliana Hill, Ann and Ed Butner
Don Freeman, Karey and Dale Osuna
The audience voted for Garrett Grinder, but the real killer was Shalamar.
Happy 60th wedding anniversary Ron and Sheila
Ron and Sheila Szudejko have been writing and directing mystery whodunits for years. In Ohio, they wrote for a close group of friends, and when they moved to Mirehaven, they expanded their stories and their audience.
Happy anniversary cake
Ron and Sheila cutting their cake