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Show PARK RECORD iinMirEiLiicG" "TTT Thursday, November 23, 1988 Page C1 Everything at the Homestead went well even the homicide By RON GEORG Record staff writer i Park City is known througout Utah for its social and moral diversions, but today's indescretions are minor distractions compared to those of Park City's mining past. This rough and tumble tradition was celebrated last weekend at the Homestead, in Midway, through Park City Performances' "Homicide at the Hotpots." Written by Raye Ringholtz and Ed Britt, the performance was incorporated into a party and the revelers were asked ask-ed to solve the crime. The crime involved a number of historical Park City figures. Park City's Silver Queen, members of th Chambers and Keith families, and other key players in Park City's mining industry were all, in slightly fictionalized forms, invited to a party par-ty by Susanna Wanderlust, a satirical version of the Silver Queen. Wanderlust was played by Judy Howells, a first time actor who carried car-ried the leading role in this performance perfor-mance with the confidance and style of a wealthy Park City socialite. As the original story goes, Park City's Silver Queen gained her title through dubious means. A man by the name of Chambers came to Park Pity as an investment scout, seeking to purchase mining property for some big money investors. Chambers bought half the Silver King mine from them, swindling the other half for himself. Instead of using us-ing his name, however, Chambers put his mining stock in the name of the Silver Queen's husband. He died before Chambers could set up a false company to run the mine, thereby leaving half the mine to the Silver Queen, a Park City seamstress. For the "Homicide," Chambers' character was made into the villianous, womanizing, E. Z. Capers. He would become the homicide victim. The trouble was, whodunit? The number of suspects was staggering. stag-gering. There were the investors Capers had swindled, the women he had victimized, the father of the daughter he had impregnated out of wedlock, and the innumerable people peo-ple he had blackmailed or otherwise ruined. The point of the evening was to come up with a plausible expanation for the murder. Each table at the Homestead dinner pooled their resources, which included clues to the murder, to come up with an answer. While four of the seventeen tables did come up with the murderer, none had the correct motive. It was actually ac-tually Capers' son, Buck, who had returned to Park City to reconcile their twenty-year separation. However, Buck's mother, Caper's estranged wife, also returns. Capers, who's taken up with a floozy, pushes his wife under a train. Buck kills his father to avenge his mother's death and prevent his father from damaging yet another woman's life, even if she is a floozy. If all this seems confusing, don't worry. The 128 people at the event were equally perplexed by the complicated com-plicated plot. Organizers passed out clues, which people traded frantically, frantical-ly, and the plot itself was designed to provide quite a few hints. The whole time, Jeanie Groll was directing the action. Groll did a beautifull job of choreographing the action to the point where it seemed a spontaneous part of the revelry. Nonetheless, no one at the party was able to connect the death of Capers' wife with the shadowy hobo who appeared during the party. The hobo had witnessed the murder of Capers' wife, and the anxiety he caused Capers was a clue most missed. miss-ed. In all, the evening was a huge success. suc-cess. As the event progressed,- and the characters took on more depth, the conversation turned from the usual Park City real estate talk to speculation on what was going on. By the end of the evening, everyone had on his sleuth hat. Aside from being a success from a social standpoint, the party raised $5,000 for Park City Performances. Hopefully, this will grow into an annual an-nual fundraiser for PCP. With all the auctions and theme parties thrown each year, it is refreshing to attend an event with so different a flavor. rj ft. M tf - iff? i" " " qCk - . t V l! v-y ) WW ;" .. ; ' . - V f .... - . i. - ' - - 1 1 ' i Jf K Left: Park City Police Chief Frank Bell played a very different role at the Homicide at the Hot pots he was the victim. Above Right: Judy Howells in her first role she was hostess. Most everyone at the event was dressed in fashionable twenties style. TT -Iff i ii t -1 in 1 1 1 in in n i s. a . m, .... m : - , ul i r --i v-i fcs M!"0 IM LJLJ 'in nn nn jf ; i i fH. , ...... i a 1 I - i . V : 1 fif photos by Ron Georg - -11 - v- f aid Whcim anal Wlneire Thursday Guys and Dolls, (the Egyptian Theatre 8 p.m.) Bob Snow and the Danger Dudes, (Cisero's, 9:30 p.m.) Friday Guys and Dolls, (the Egyptian Theatre 8 p.m.) Dr. Bob, (The Alamo, 9:30 p.m.) Bob Snow and the Danger Dudes, (Cisero's, 9:30 p.m.) Street Dance, featuring the Dyna tones, (Main Street, 5 p.m.) The Dyna tones, (Steeps, 9 p.m.) Dewey and the Rocks, (Cassidy's, 9 p.m.) Saturday Guys and Dolls, Closing Night (the Egyptian Theatre 8 p.m.) Dr. Bob, (The Alamo, 9:30 p.m.) Bob Snow and the Danger Dudes, (Cisero's, 9:30 p.m.) The Dynatones, (Steeps, 9 p.m.) Dewey and the Rocks, (Cassidy's, 9 p.m.) Wednesday Local's Jam Night, (Cisero's, 9:30) Upcoming... "Guys and Dolls" ends soon For diners who can't face another Thanksgiving bowl of football or food, the Egyptian Theatre will be open for a performance of the current hit, "Guys and Dolls." This is the last weekend for the high-spirited classic, which closes Nov. 26. Tickets can be purchased at the Kimball Art Center, the Yarrow, the Adventure Adven-ture Center, and all SmithTix outlets. Tickets will also be on sale at the Egyptian, after 7 p.m. on show nights. Tickets are $8 for adults, $7 for senior citizens and students, and $6 for children. Dynatones play free dance Dancing off that turkey Thanksgiving may be a time for glutonous consumption, but there's no reason you can't get out and dance off some of that second helping of pie. Starting Thanksgiving night, local club owners are gearing up for the holiday holi-day weekend. Nov. 24 through Nov. 26, Cisero's will feature Bob Snow and the Dander Dudes. On Nov. 25, Parkites, who will have had an entire day to digest, can get a chance to do some dancing for free out on Main Street as the Dynatones come out for a 5 p.m. street dance. The Dynatones will proceed to Steeps that evening, even-ing, where they will play two nights. Also Nov. 25, if you can't make it all the way down to Steeps, the Alamo will be welcoming Dr. Bob, a popular band of locals, for two nights. i . . - . 4 ' - . .. v i j- a yj i ,. : ... s ' !)- inii,..,..,,....!,, .,.1 ., ,n 1 1. I.l.nn,f.lr H.nii.iM milllll 11 rrm 1 1 IIWWMI ' 1KI I t lllllimHlliBIIl C.C. Miller of the Dynatones Ron Georg |