Theatre on the Hill Actors in Murder Mystery Weekend

Friday-Sunday, February 16-18, 2018

"Murder on the Cloudcroft Express", a spoof of Murder on the Orient Express, a play written and directed by Connie Breding, drama professor at NMSU-A in Alamogordo, was presented for a Murder Mystery Dinner Theater Weekend at the Lodge Resort and Spa in Cloudcroft, New Mexico. The hotel was sold out with people coming from several states around as well as across New Mexico for this FUN, interactive experience.

It is set in the early 1920's so the cast dressed appropriately for the era. The back story is that we are on the Cloudcroft Express from Phoenix, Arizona to Santa Fe, New Mexico. However, when we are on the Mexican Train Trestle at Cloudcroft there is an avalanche trapping us on the tracks. The engineer is able to back the train up enough so that the ski patrol and the Lodge employees are able to rescue us and bring us to the Lodge until the tracks can be cleared. As we are leaving the train a dead gentleman is discovered in his sleeping quarters and it appears he has been murdered and so it goes from there.

We have a cast of seventeen plus two crew members (Connie Breding, the director and Geowie Mosqueda, her able assistant).

We all had a marvelous time as did the attendees and I say this because they had many complimentary remarks to make about our actors.

On Friday night, we attended a champagne cocktail party with all the hotel clients and had dinner with them as well. They asked many questions about the dead man while trying to solve "who dunnit".

We had a repeat of the cocktail party and dinner on Saturday night and someone else gets murdered during that time. Now things get complicated for everyone! I did manage to get some great pictures of the cast that I will share with you.

Prince Advilromanoff played by Philipp Hedfeld

Anthony Falconetti (Fast Tony) played by Patrick McDonald

Sergeant Morrisey played by Gabe Mauger and Miss Jane Marple played by Ellie Mauger

Gerda Schmolsson played by Carla Kerr

Myron Buck played by Tony Calderon

Geowie Mosqueda, all around go-to guy for whatever you need and Connie's able assistant

Ed Minuteman played by John Burnie

Princess Advilromanoff played by Keddy Richardson with her prince

Hercules Parrot, played by JD Hilliard

Professor Connie Breding giving last minute instructions in the green room

Anthony Falconetti and Hercules Parrot

Heather Evans played by Hester McQueen

Contessa Dragonitsky played by Ulrike Burgheim

Marilee Devonshire played by Susan Gallegos

Helga Mortenson played by Andrea Garcia

Hercules Parrot, Prince Advilromanoff and Princess Advilromanoff, strategizing

Cornelia Cuppboard played by Deborah Cobb

Most of the Cast

The above pictures were taken on Saturday night. The following pictures were taken on Sunday morning, February 18, 2018, where we reveal the winners who solved the murders and award prizes right after an excellent breakfast. First, second and third prizes are given by the Lodge Resort and Spa and the Booby Prize and Costume Prize are given by the NMSU-A Theatre Guild.

JD Hilliard with the winner of the First Prize

Winner of the Second Prize with JD

Winner of the Third Prize with JD

Winner of the Booby Prize, a bottle of New Mexico wine, flanked by Carla Kerr and JD

Rachel, winner of the Best Costume Prize, a bottle of New Mexico wine, with Carla and JD

I do apologize for not getting the rest of the names of the prize winners. We will be doing this again on April 27-29, 2018 at the Lodge Resort and Spa in Cloudcroft because they sold out and had a waiting list of people wanting to come and I will make sure to get the prize winners names this time.

I also failed to get a picture of Monica Desjardins who played the part of Dr. Tina Constant, Coroner and Julia Newton who played the part of Hildegarde Schmitten. My apologies to both of you. I'll catch you on the next one.

If you ever have a chance to play in one of these murder mysteries, don't hesitate. For the most part, it is improvisational and you have a chance to really get into your character. Tons of FUN.

This is all I have to say for now.

NMSU-A Theatre on the Hill Guild Cast in the Lodge Murder Mystery Weekend

February 26, 2017

Advertised as "Grease Can Kill", members of the Rohovec Theatre on the Hill Guild of New Mexico State University-Alamogordo wrote, produced, and acted in a weekend murder mystery dinner theater that ran from February 24-26, 2017 at the Lodge in Cloudcroft, New Mexico. The Lodge had SRO for this event and the interaction with the guests was terrific. Prizes were awarded for first, second and third place to those who had the best guesses of "who done it" as well as figuring out the motive(s) for the murder. There was also a "booby prize" for whomever had the most bizarre description of the murderer and their motive.

As always, the Lodge provided excellent champagne cocktail hours for Friday and Saturday evening and a fabulous buffet dinner as well. Sunday morning at the reveal, a scrumptious breakfast buffet was well attended and enjoyed. There were guests from Lubbock, Snyder, El Paso and Mineral Wells, Texas;  Albuquerque, Alamogordo, Roswell, Carlsbad and Las Cruces, New Mexico as well as locals from Cloudcroft, making a total 117 attending.

Julia Newton and Keddy Richardson

Harry Crinklaw and Tony Calderon

Andrea Garcia applying her makeup

Keddy Richardson

Kathy Barnes and Philipp Hedfeld

Harry Crinklaw and JD Hilliard

L to R: Angie Basurto, Mary Cobb and Kyrsten Horgan

L to R: Deborah Cobb, Keddy Richardson and Angie Basurto

L to R: Mary Cobb, Julia Newton and Kyrsten Horgan

Andrea Garcia as Detective Mavis Hunter

Geowie Mosquedo, Crew member delux

L to R: Keddy, Deborah, Julia, Mary and Angie "Pink Ladies"

Back Row: JD Hilliard, Harry Crinklaw, Philipp Hedfeld, Keddy Richardson, Mary Cobb, Kathy Barnes. Front Row: Andrea Garcia, Julia Newton, Angie Basurto, Kyrsten Horgan, Deborah Cobb, Carla Kerr, Ulrike Burgheim and Tom Burgheim and last but not least, down in front is Tony Calderon.

NMSU-A Drama Professor Connie Breding, and Carolyn Dittmer (co-authors of the murder mystery script) diligently working to package up prizes to be given to audition winner, best costume and winner of the booby prize.

Random shot of crowd at the Sunday breakfast

Back Left: Carolyn Dittmer giving Kim Featherstone her award for best costume

Right: JD Hilliard announcing award for second place in solving the crime

JD, and Carla Kerr (Guild President), continuing to conduct the award ceremony

First Place Winners (regret not getting names)

Everyone appeared to have had an excellent experience and from all the comments, many will return next year for another go at it. Murder mystery theater is primarily improvisation and, as such, actors must use their imaginations and talent to the fullest extent to entertain and interact with the guests, answering the many questions asked by the guests as they strive to determine the identity of the murderer as well as the motive. Many of the guests have been to a number of these productions around the country and they are serious about solving the murder and winning the prize(s).

Thanks to Geowie Mosquedo for stepping in as photographer for several of the photos published here.

This is all I have to say for now.

Red Hatters Attend Flickinger Guild Turquoise and Silver Tea

October 16, 2016 at 2:00 PM

A group of Red Hatters, members of the New Mexico Roadrunner Chapter, attended the Flickinger Guild Turquoise and Silver Tea which had a theme this year of "Denim and Diamonds". This is always such a FUN and entertaining event looked forward to every year.

A number of area businesses provided clothing, hats, jewelry, shoes and boots, etc. to models for the style show. It is truly amazing what all is available right here in our own backyard. SKY and Ed Dittmer provided background music as people came in and got seated. Welcome and introductions were provided by Sarina Turnbull-Paul and James White.

Entertainment was abundant beginning with belly dancing by Anala Nahada and Claudia Powell. Singer and instrumentalist Rudy Wood was next with a good round of western music. The Academy of Ballet & Las Cruces School of Dance featured Casen Collins, Mariah Hernandez and Daniel Lindsay in a short, but lovely ballet. Marley Ham sang a solo. There was also a duet from "Spamalot" featuring Lee Austin and Jenny McNiven.

Refreshments of hot tea, tea sandwiches, fruit and tea cakes were prepared by Mountain View Catering, GCRMC and served by AHS Jr. ROTC cadets. They did such an excellent job and there was plenty to eat and drink for all.

Fashions with Susie Hall featured fashions and accessories from Bealls, Dollar Boots & Jeans, GCRMC Auxiliary Gift Shop, Instant Karma, JC Penny's, Sam's Silver Lining, Rue 21 and Seasons at The Lodge.

While all of this was happening, there was also a huge silent auction set up with everything one could imagine to bid on. In the meantime, Sarina and James kept the airwaves busy with calling door prize numbers of which several Red Hatters were winners of prizes.

L to R: Margie, Darla and Gail

Carmen and Flo

Dorothy E.

A couple of the models doing their thing

L to R: Trudy, Donna and guest, Bobbie

L to R: Margee, Darla and Gail concentrating on their door prize tickets

Model, posing while Susie Hall describes her ensemble

Susie gets a little help from Tony Calderon from JC Penny's

More models. That's Victoria on the right in a hurry

Monica Helm modeling a lovely ensemble

Susie and Tony conversing about the clothing from JC Penny's

Jenny McNiven and Lee Austin singing a duet from "Spamalot"

Another shot of Lee and Jenny

New member, Bobbie Tanner with Queen Ladybird aka Carla Kerr

As always, it was truly an elegant affair and we are very pleased to welcome a new Red Hatter to the New Mexico Roadrunner Chapter, Bobbie Tanner.

Thanks to Gail Swineford for shooting the last picture.

This is all I have to say for now.