Tag Archives: Recipe for Murder Royale

What Is It With Me and Theatre?

Posted on June 7, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Yes, it is Lame Post Friday again, the day of random observations and half-baked philosophy.  The day where I get silly for about 200 words then dive into the weekend.  Once again, I look to my Media Library for inspiration.

This is NOT what my hair looks like now.

This is me as seen on stage in Prescription: Murder at Ilion Little Theatre.  Actually the last view of me on stage was my awesome slipper sticking out from behind the couch after my husband had strangled me, the bastard.

Me dead. You would think the murderer would have looked happier; I was pretty annoying.

However, I did not want this to be another theatre throwback (not that there’s anything wrong with that), so I will look for a different sort of picture.

I should cook more recipes.

I just found my copy of this cookbook underneath my coffee table.  I do not know how it got there.  It is the cookbook put out by Herkimer County Historical Society, and the inspiration for my murder mystery, Recipe for Murder Royale.   Oops, I am back to talking about theatre.

Love the mustache.

You may think I am getting away from theatre with a shot (literally) at the Elks Club in Herkimer, BUT…  to begin with, many of my murder mysteries have been performed there; this was a shot of Frangelico in a Frangelico glass, the inspiration for one of my all-time favorite character names, Frangelica Inferno; AND the shot glass reminds me of a glass that was a present from  cast of a stage play I directed that later figured in a murder mystery for Herkimer County Historical Society.

So I have walked down Theatre Memory Lame and plugged Herkimer Elks and Historical Society.  I think I’ve earned my Happy Hour beverage.

 

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I May Kill Again

Posted on May 5, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Hello and welcome to Wrist to Forehead Sunday, the day when all I want to do is swoon, dramatically posed with the back of one wrist to my forehead, onto a handy chaise lounge.  There is almost never a chaise lounge handy, but one makes do with whatever is available.  One reason for today’s swooning post is that I am dreadfully tired from last night’s performance of Recipe for Murder Royale, the murder we  presented at Herkimer Elks Lodge to benefit Herkimer County Historical Society on Saturday.

I did want to include this delightful artwork.

This chalk art was done by an Elks member who happened to be at the Lodge that afternoon. I’m sure you can easily understand why I just had to take a picture of it.  This member did not attend Saturday’s performance but offered his services as the dead body for a future murder mystery.  He had a great dramatic sense, saying how he would like a blood pack in his chest, which could bleed out as he staggered around, breathing his last.  He even said he could be dragged offstage, leaving a trail of blood in his wake.

Naturally this started me thinking about the next murder mystery.  It is true that I often end these things thinking I can never manage another one, but I don’t think anybody is much impressed by that.  I will get to writing and see what I can come up with by the fall.

 

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Posting Despite Pre-Performance Jitters

Posted on May 4, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

For once I was not too lazy to check, and it turns out I did already use the title, “Oh Crap! I Gotta Make a Blog Post!”  I even went back and read it (it was short).  I was about to go to a rehearsal, after being on overtime at work.  Today I am soon to start getting ready to go to a performance.  Regular readers will know it is Recipe for Murder Royale, the murder mystery to benefit Herkimer County Historical Society.  I had all day not only to make a blog post, but to do something to make a blog post about.  Failed on both counts.

Another suspicious bunch I am proud to be a part of.

I threw in a picture to pep things up.  This is the cast picture from when we did the show at Salisbury Grange on Sunday.  The sequins started coming off my dress, so I think I am going to wear something different.  Maybe somebody will take a picture of me that I can share.

As you may guess, I am getting pre-performance jitters, the more so since I am not so confident in my new costume choice.  I don’t know why I should worry.  Probably everybody will say I look nice, even if I don’t really.  I got plenty of compliments on the green number.  Anyways, it is not all about me looking fabulous.  It is all about me killing somebody for fun and non-profit!

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Still Talking about That Murder Mystery!

Posted on May 1, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

How about one last pre-rehearsal post?  This evening we are meeting one last time before our second performance of Recipe for Murder Royale this Saturday, May 3 at the Herkimer Elks Lodge to benefit the Herkimer County Historical Society.  I wonder if my readers are getting sick of hearing about it?  If so, they c;an always skip this post.  I do have just a couple more pictures.

Oh dear, it’s a little blurry.

This is Carmen Sophronia, our Italian chef, who fancies herself as a singer.

I knew this one was blurry, but who could argue with a queen?

This is Queen Elizabeth Foredore.  When I told one audience member at Salisbury Grange her name, he said that was kind of cliche.  For heavens’ sake, there have been two English queens named Elizabeth in history.  How does that make it a cliche?  Anyways, it is a Queen Elizabeth costume.  I guess no writer likes to be told her work is cliche.  Maybe I’ll kill off that guy in my next script.

I gotta share it one more time!

Two more days for local readers to decide to attend!  It isn’t sold out yet, but while I was at the Elks Lodge yesterday, somebody called and said they were going to stop down Friday and pick up tickets.  I’d best look over my lines again!

 

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More Murder on the Menu

Posted on April 29, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Here are a few of the “action” shots I took during the mingling portion of Recipe for Murder Royale at Salisbury Grange Sunday afternoon.  We are to present the show again this Saturday, May 3, at Herkimer Elks Lodge to benefit the Herkimer County Historical Society, so this is also in the nature of a Preview of Coming Attractions.

I was supposed to be walking around mingling with the crowd myself, but since my character was an organizer of the event, I thought it was natural for me to take a couple of pictures.

These two are married in real life.

Our French chef and our backwoods boy were both popular characters. I thought it was delightful that BillyBob Bodine wore a bow-tie for the occasion.

It was a spontaneous smile.

In another in-character move, I asked my assistant to place the ballots on the tables.  This was where people would write their guesses as to who the murderer was.  Of course, I didn’t know there was going to be a murder (wink, wink), so I said Albert Graves (unaccountably absent) had said to put out the papers; I didn’t know why.

I dare share it again!

The last I knew tickets were still available, in case any of my local readers is interested.  I personally am looking forward to the dinner.  Italian Chicken Soup made with real Italians, who could resist?

 

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One Dead, One to Go!

Posted on April 28, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Our performance of Recipe for Murder Royale at Salisbury Grange went very well.  They seemed not to notice where we messed up.  Um, I mean, we didn’t mess up!  That is the thrill of live performance.

The unusual suspects.

One of the Grange people took a cast picture after it was all over.  What a great group of people this was to work with!  I must say I have been very fortunate in my murder mystery casts.  I get the nicest, most talented people.  Like the song says, there’s no people like show people!

Big smiles now that it was over!

I guess I don’t have a whole lot more to say than it went great!  Here we are in our costumes!  How dull of me.  I feel certain my readers will forgive me (especially since I refrained from calling them Shirley for once).

Only missing me and the Queen.

I did try to surreptitiously take a few action shots while we were mingling with the audience before the scripted part of the performance.  I may use them for another blog post. I will decide that subsequently.

One more to go!

We will perform the show again this Saturday at Herkimer Elks Lodge to benefit the Herkimer County Historical Society.  I’m sure it will be very fun.  Tickets are still available, in case any local readers are interested!

 

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After All, I’ve Killed Before

Posted on April 27, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I was hoping to make a quick blog post before getting ready for our performance of Recipe for Murder Royale, the murder mystery we are presenting to benefit Salisbury Grange.  We have not rehearsed at the Grange, but I feel that is the least of my worries.  Did I say I was worried?  Say it ain’t so!  But I think many performers get butterflies of one sort of another.

This is us!

My butterflies are often regarding the pesky details moreso than the performance itself (moreso isn’t a word?  Who knew) (oh I just checked:  it is a nonstandard spelling).  Much like the butterflies I get before a road race:  I am more concerned with finding a parking space and getting to the starting line on time than the actual running.  It is not a perfect parallel, however.  I harbor a few qualms about the performance.  After all, running is a fairly straightforward proposition.  In theatre, you have lines to remember and other actors to deal with.

Well that little sidetrack took my mind off my troubles for a few minutes.

What I have to worry about this morning is getting ready, making sure I have something to eat (not easy since I have not been grocery shopping), getting to the Grange (I’ve driven there before, but regular readers know my propensity for getting lost).  Getting ready is the main thing.  What, oh what am I going to do with my hair?  I was growing it out for Prescription: Murder, and that worked out fairly well, with the help of the wonderful woman who volunteered to do hair and make-up.

I will NOT be able to do this myself!

Well, I will wash it and perhaps blow it dry and see what I can do. Time to look over my lines again, take my shower, get something to eat (not all at once, but no promises about that given my dithery state of mind).  I’m sure I’ll break a leg.  If I forget all my lines, my castmates may break it for me!

 

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I Would Kill for a Good Meal

Posted on April 24, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I failed to take any pictures of last night’s rehearsal for Recipe for Murder Royale, the murder mystery we are presenting Sunday to benefit Salisbury Grange then again May 3 to benefit the Herkimer County Historical Society.  However, I have some fun information to impart.

Mmmm… Hats and Broccoli

Of course I am looking forward to the lunch at the Grange on Sunday, but I have to really hand it to the chef catering at the Elks next Saturday.

A nice appetizing little murder.

The poster does not include the menu, but I saw a copy and wrote it down.  Diners will enjoy Italian Chicken Stew made with real Italians, and Roasted Cauliflower or is it brains?  Main dishes include Baked Chicken (sure… we’ll call it chicken)  and Balsamic Pork (wink, wink).  And watch out for the Sauteed Peas and Pearl Onions; those are definitely not eyeballs!  Dinner will conclude with some desserts to die for.

How fun is that?  I should be so creative!

Here’s an actress to die for!

Here is a shot of one of my actors at the Grange in April 2023, when we did Shooting at the Grange.  She will look different this time out; in fact, she will put the Royal in Recipe for Murder Royale.  I will definitely try to get pictures!

 

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A Few More Pics, Another Pedestrian Post

Posted on April 23, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I continue writing about my walk, because I have four more pictures I did not use yet.  I particularly wanted to open with the funniest one.

The little picnic table wins my heart.

Considering I AM the nut, I felt I had cause to worry, so I took the picture and moved on.  I suppose it would take a pretty big squirrel to crack me, but you never know.  They might decide to gang up on me.

I am always happy to see them, although I cannot address them by name.

I see these flowers everywhere but do not know what they are.  If anybody does, I would be grateful for the knowledge.  I think there are apps whereby you can take a picture and your phone tells you what things are, but I rarely download apps.  I might possibly get a book out of the library on the subject.

Not quite the shot I had hoped.

I took this shot on the footbridge over the stream behind the high school (so you see I am using the photos out of the order that I took them, if you read yesterday’s post).  I had wanted a shot of the water but soon became more concerned with the green on the branches.  It is a little difficult, because I have to contend with the chain link fence. I suppose other people handle these problems easily (you know who you are).

It’s hard to see the color.

One more tree caught my eye.  I took a picture from each side, and this one turned out the best.  I guess neither one is all that great, but you’ll have that.

I really did enjoy my walk.  I ran yesterday, which I also enjoyed, but I think I will take another walk today.  Will this blog become All Pedestrian Posts All The Time?  Probably not.  For one reason, rehearsals continue for Recipe for Murder Royale.  I have one tonight.  I may take some pictures and do a Post-Rehearsal Post (preview of coming attractions).  Won’t that be fun?

 

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Once Again, Technology Eludes Me

Posted on April 18, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Can I manage a Throwback Thursday Post today?  Full Disclosure:  I was at the Herkimer Elks Lodge and had a few glasses of wine.  In my defense, I had to go and answer a few questions about Recipe for Murder Royale, the murder mystery we are presenting there to benefit the Herkimer County Historical Society.  I know, I only could have answered the questions and gone home.  I chose the more fun option.

Oh swell.  I can’t figure out how to get the flier of the murder mystery onto my blog post.  I suppose it is not very surprising  considering my full disclosure.

Here it is!

It is now Friday morning, so I call this a late post and do not despair of making a Lame Post Friday post later today.  I still haven’t figured out how to get a picture from Facebook to my blog on my Chromebook, but I can do it on my phone.  I didn’t think of doing that last night, silly me!

And while I was at it…

I also managed to share the flier from the show at Salisbury Grange, a week earlier.  That makes this NOT a Throwback Thursday post.  Oh dear.  Should I edit the first paragraph or continue in my stream of consciousness way?

This was a fun one!

One throwback, to the original production of Donate to Murder, presented at Herkimer Elks in 2019 (we presented it again a couple years later).  I’m in the feather hat on the left, then Tucker Lester in the Steam Punk goggles, my late dearly missed husband Steve, and Laura Powers.  I would love to work with both Tucker and Laura again, but they are very busy these days, alas!

I see I approach 300 words, which is pretty good for a late post.  I think I”ll bill this as a Non-Sequitur Thursday and drive on.  As always, I thank you for tuning in.

 

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