|
Click for currently scheduled shows
that individuals may join ...
When a
just-for-fun murder takes place at Falcon Rest in
McMinnville, Tennessee, it’s
the tour group members in the audience who are the real stars of
the show.
The interactive
“whodunit”
assigns them real characters from 1897, then turns them loose to ad-lib
to
their hearts’ content. Needless to say,
it never comes out exactly the same way twice.
But it always lives up to Falcon Rest’s reputation as "the Victorian
mansion where history is fun."
"Murder at the
Mansion," takes place during a delicious meal served in Falcon Rest's
Victorian Carriage House dining room.
The play is set at
an elegant dinner
party given in 1897 by “Gorilla Pants” manufacturer Clay Faulkner and
his wife
Mary, celebrating completion of their new mansion. The guest list
includes the extended Faulkner family and a
variety of McMinnville notables from 1897, along with nationally
prominent
individuals such as President William
McKinley, Rev. Sam Jones, Susan B. Anthony, and Annie Oakley. To
Mrs. Faulkner’s dismay, a town drunk and
the local madam could show up as well.
Falcon Rest actors play Mr. and
Mrs. Faulkner and their faithful cook Mag.
When audience members arrive, they’re given signs identifying their
characters
with historical details on the back. There
are no lines to remember or pressure to participate, so they’re free to
interact
in character with the Falcon Rest players as much or as little as they
like.
Mr. Faulkner carries on an impromptu conversation with his guests
during the
banquet, and they can be counted on to come up with some pretty
hilarious
dialogue.
When a dastardly
murder mars the
celebration, audience members help special guest star Buffalo Bill Cody
discover which one of them is the culprit.
"This
is a great way to enjoy a delicious meal and rib-tickling
entertainment, while
learning about actual 1890s history," said Mr. Faulkner's alter-ego
George
McGlothin, better known as The Victorian Gentleman.
 After
the meal is completed and the murder is solved, guests are treated to a
tour of the Falcon Rest mansion, which Clay and Mary Faulkner really
did complete
in
1897. Called Tennessee’s Biltmore by
PBS, the 10,000 square foot, solid-brick mansion had all the modern
conveniences when it was built, including electric lights, indoor
plumbing,
central heat and air, and even a telephone.
Today, it is furnished with museum quality antiques, and some say Mr.
Faulkner stays on in the form of a friendly ghost. Visitors also
enjoy shopping for 1890s souvenirs
in Falcon Rest’s Victorian Gift Shop.
Play, Lunch Meal
and Tour: $28 p/p, plus tax.
Play, Dinner Meal
and Tour: $30 p/p, plus tax.
20 person
minimum. See profile sheet at left for details.
|
Take your tour
group to the
