RUMFORD — “Café Murder” is coming to Rumford. On Friday and Saturday, May 15 and 16, the  new dinner theater production from The Rumford Association for the Advancement of the Performing Arts, will be presented at the Eagles Hall. The venue has been converted to look like an intimate café, complete with round tables, centerpieces and a full waitstaff. 

Doors open at 5 p.m., and the show and dinner are 6 p.m. each night. Tickets are $25; gratuity included.

During  dinner,  the audience will the murder mystery unfold, and along the way will be asked for their help in solving the crime. 

The mystery centers around the character of Rosemary Saint-John (Jen Foster) who is a loud, annoying hypochondriac convinced she is allergic to water. Celebrating her birthday at a restaurant, aptly named Café Murder, are her four kooky sisters: A hippie chick who’s still living in the 60s (Mary Hickey), a “like totally” Valley Girl who can’t get her face out of her cell phone (Debbie Moon), a rough-neck trucker broad (Izzie Radford-Nash) and a refined, but always complaining, professional banker (Anita Murphy).

Rosemary makes enemies with everyone around her. When she disappears and is presumed murdered, the only objective witnesses in the restaurant are the audience members, who must cast their vote. 

The production is being directed by RAAPA veteran Connie Venskus and will include a performance by the RAAPA chorus with new musical director Shirli Head Allen.  From Norway, Allen is a veteran acrtor, who has performed in many past productions in the River Valley and is one of the founding members of Oxford Hills Music and Performing Arts Association. The chorus plays an integral part in the drama of the evening’s performance with a wonderful set of songs including “It’s A Grand Night For Singing,” “Anything Goes,” and “Just Give Me A Reason,” — made famous by Pink. Gail Dorr will provide accompaniment.

A full dinner will be served — not a buffet — and will include bacon-wrapped roast pork, mashed potatoes, two vegetables, salad and gingerbread, with whipped cream, as dessert. Reservations may be made by calling Anita Murphy at 369-0205. Past shows have sold out.