Written by Ben Cox – Local domestic violence shelter The ARK is hosting the return of their much loved Mystery Dinner fund raiser on February 10th, at the Grand Starz bingo hall on Hwy 279. The “whodunit” style mystery was written by former Brownwood ISD Teacher of the year Larry Mathis, and is set in the old west.
Mathis, who has written the scripts for the show in the past, says this year’s show is “filled with interesting characters.” The names of the characters are plays on Wild West heroes, like Wild Bill Hickup, Ann E. Oakley, and Billy Kidd. Guests of the dinner have the “responsibility to find out who had a motive to want one of the characters dead” and figure out how they had the opportunity to commit the crime.
Tragedy at the Tavern will feature several notable cast members from the area, including City of Brownwood Sports Coordinator Roland Soto, KYOX on-air personality Stephanie Gade, and local State Farm agent Matt Williams, among others.
Soto, who plays “No Bears Longbow” says he was “excited to do it (the show), because its something I’ve never really done and admired those who have,” and considers it “a compliment’ that the part was written by Mathis with him in mind. Soto says The ARK and “organizations like that are valuable to our community…and roll up their sleeves and do the work that other people aren’t willing to do.”
Soto also said that “anything you can do to help or contribute to an organization like that is the way to go.”
The show starts at 6:30 p.m., with silent and tradition auctions as well as a dance to follow the dinner theater performance.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by calling the ARK office at 325-643-2699. Catering for the event is being provided by Brown County staple The Diamond R Cafe, and the price of each ticket will include beer and wine.
Underwriter sponsorships are also available, with packages ranging from $250 to $2,500, that include auction previews, framed sponsor appreciation certificates, and other thank you’s.
The ARK serves Brown, Coleman and Comanche Counties by providing a 24-hr crisis line, emergency shelter and transportation for men, women and families fleeing abusive situations, and a large number of other services free of charge to their clients.
The ARK is a non-profit organization funded solely from grants and local donations. Their office is located at 2900 Coggin in Brownwood, and can be reached at 888-313-2699. You can also learn more about the ARK and their services on their Facebook Page.
