Craft Hall to Host A Golden Girls Murder Mystery Series With Live Acts, Food & Themed Cocktails
A Golden Girls Murder Mystery: The Curse of Jessica Fletcher will make its Philadelphia stage debut starting March 5th at Craft Hall, at 901 N. Delaware Avenue. Rose, Dorothy, Blanche and Sophia are back at it again, and this time the four friends from Miami are trying their hand at solving a mystery. Come out for whodunnit vibes mixed with tons of laughs during this unique immersive experience that even includes themed cocktails and food. Tickets are on sale now for $64 each and include the show, food and three cocktails per person. Additional cocktails and food are pay-as-you-go. The show will run from March to April, on select Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, with times on show nights at 6:00pm and 9:00pm. All on-sale dates and shows are on the website, with more dates to be added for middle to late April – and beyond. Tickets and information can be found at www.withoutacue.com/goldengirls.
Miami is nice, but Philadelphia is even better. Your favorite ladies from the ‘80’s are throwing a party, and everyone’s invited. The Golden Girls are at it again, and this time they’ve decided to try their hand at solving a mystery! They’ve invited a couple of well known detectives to join the party and discuss their famous capers. But as always, our ladies are keeping secrets and trouble is afoot. When the evening turns mysterious, can you help the Girls solve this mystery? Join Without A Cue for a BRAND NEW Golden Girls Mystery – the Curse of Jessica Fletcher!
During this hour and a half performance, audience members will get to play detective as the Without A Cue Golden Girls mingle with the audience. As guests enjoy a cocktail, the ladies will delight the audience with their iconic banter. At the end of the night, the audience will try to solve the mystery and guess whodunnit. One winner will win a prize.
“Dorothy’s sarcasm will have your sides splitting, Rose’s naivete will have you bent over in laughter, Blanche’s sultry antics will have you laughing so hard tears will come to your eyes, and Sophia will just kill,” said Without a Cue Productions’ Founder and Executive Director Traci Connaughton. “Listen closely, gather the clues, and try to deduce who the killer is and win the prize! But most importantly, be entertained!”
The show was written by John Logue and directed by Philadelphia native David Micun. The rotating cast includes several Philadelphia and Philadelphia native performers, including David Micun, Monica Fotusky, Kevin Hughes, Will Maloney, Debbie Bello, Dana Corvino, Libby Ross, Carolyn Dixon, Leta Gilbert and others to be announced. All of our performers live and work in the Philadelphia region.
During the immersive experience, “party” guests and theatre-goers will enjoy themed bites and cocktails created by Craft Hall and FCM Hospitality. Menu items are included in the cost of each ticket, and are as follows:
First Course:
Italian Treats from Sophia and Dorothy
You will be invited to enjoy your shot of Limoncello with Sophia. Your first plate will be an Italian treat of Antipasto Salad with Focaccia Crisp, Marinated Salami, Mozzarella, Olives and Chickpeas
Second Course:
A Taste of the South with Blanche
Enjoy a toast with Blanche with her favorite drink! You’ll be treated to a delightful combination of rum, Southern Comfort, pineapple juice, orange juice, and a squeeze of lime. Your second plate will be a Southern favorite: BBQ Chicken Salad accompanied by Pepper Jam, Dill Pickles and Bacon
Third Course:
Dessert with Rose
All of the sweets will come out as you drink with Rose! Fresh lemonade is on the menu, spiked with raspberry vodka and raspberry liqueur. Your final plate will be all of the ladies favorite treat: Cheesecake Cups with Strawberries and a Graham Cracker Crumble
Dietary restrictions will be accommodated and vegetarian options available. Please contact Without a Cue Productions at [email protected] for any special dietary needs. All cocktails will be available as a delicious mocktail version! Following the show, additional food and drink are available through a special door leading to Craft Hall.
During the experience, there will be several opportunities to take selfies with the characters (and a fun race to see who can get them all first), hidden clues, and even an opportunity to get their mug shot. Once the performance begins, guests will become part of the action as they play detective and try to solve the mystery. Flashing lights and gunshot sounds may be used in this production. Proof of vaccination will be required for entry to the theater space.
Without a Cue Productions has selected Women’s History Month to launch this show. Without a Cue Productions is one of the leading female-owned businesses centered out of Bucks County, and they have been in operation for more than two decades. Additionally, Women’s HIstory Month was the perfect time to bring to the city a show that broke ground for women on television and women in entertainment as it featured all female leads.
The Golden Girls Murder Mystery has sold out to thousands of patrons around the country on tour and in private/special event performances, as well as on stages in Bucks County. This is the first time Without a Cue will bring a long-running stage show to the Philadelphia market. The theatre company is also seeking a permanent home in the city – and Without a Cue Productions will join the line-up for Philly Theatre Week, Philly Gay Pride Month and other coming festivals and celebrations.
For Founder and Executive Director Traci Connaughton, this major moment in her company’s history follows major pivots during the pandemic. Golden Girls was set to open in Philadelphia as the pandemic started – and her search for a home in the city was put on hold. She kept actors working during the pandemic with new walking tours and outdoor shows.
“I am excited to head into spring and summer with shows and walking experiences coming to Philadelphia, Bucks County and Cape May,” said Connaughton. “We are also in talks for a new home in the city for shows and performances, plus new venues in Chester County, Atlantic City and Bucks County. We are on the move, pivoting the best we can, and my goal is to support dozens of actors and crew members as we get back to doing what we love the most. Philadelphia, thank you for being a friend. We are thrilled to expand and we can’t wait to meet everyone and get involved in the city’s theatre and entertainment community.”
Tickets are on sale now and include the experience, food and three cocktails. As a tribute to Betty White, a portion of ticket sales will be donated to Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society.
