The Newberry Community Players (NCP) begins its 42nd year with a dinner theater comedy.

“Murder at the Howard Johnson” will be presented Sept. 21-22, 28-29 at Steven W’s Downtown Bistro.

The three person cast defines love triangle as a wife, her husband, and her boyfriend cross paths at the local motor coach inn. Will the wife kill her husband with her boyfriend? Will the wife kill her boyfriend with her husband? Or, will the husband and boyfriend knock off the wife?

“’Murder at the Howard Johnson’ was the very first dinner theater the community players did over 15 years ago as a fundraiser at Steven W’s. It has been a treat to revisit this farce with three local talents,” stated director and NCP Chair Ellen Hunt.

Betsy Burriss takes on the role of the wife - Arlene Miller. Betsy was last seen as Mrs. Rich in last season’s “Surreal Housewives of Newberry County.”

Longtime NCP volunteer Scott Senn portrays Paul Miller – the husband. The boyfriend (Mitchell Lovell) will be portrayed by Corey Langley who appeared in both “Rocky Horror” and “Surreal Housewives” last season.

“One of my favorite things about community theater is that you can bring together people from the community whose day jobs are very different. Our cast for ‘Murder at the Howard Johnson’s’ works at a bar, a poultry farm, and the zoo yet they’ll come together to tell a story and make people laugh. And, the people who come see the production will be from all walks of life. That is why our theme for the 2012-13 season is ‘It’s About Entertainment. It’s About Education. It’s about Community!’” stated NCP board member Heather Hawkins.

“Murder at the Howard Johnson’s” is a dinner theater at Steven W’s at 1100 Main St. in Newberry.

Tickets are $40 and include the meal. The cash bar will open at 7 p.m. with the meal beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Advance tickets are encouraged due to limited space. Tickets can be purchased through the Newberry Opera House box office located at 1201 McKibben St. Call 276-6264 or buy online at newberryoperahouse.com.

2012-13 season

“Murder at the Howard Johnson’s” is just the first of six productions in the 2012-13 NCP season, not to count the special events. During October “Rocky Horror Picture Show” returns to The Ritz. NCP will show the cult classic movie and reenact all the fun parts. NCP’s Young Players are already rehearsing for their November production of Shakespeare’s “Midsummer’s Night Dream.”

NCP’s second dinner theater event will be “A Nice Family Gathering” at the Country Club of Newberry during February. Holidays with the family are already interesting. What happens when dad’s ghost shows up for Thanksgiving and only one of the sons can see him?

Imagination Alley Childrens Theater wing of NCP will present “Not So Grimm Fairytales” during March. And, the season will wrap up with a reenactment of an old radio show including sound effects. “Flash Gordon” takes on Ming the Merciless again in this reader’s theater special event.

Season Tickets

You can save off of the regular price of tickets by purchasing a season ticket for $100. Save over $50 on regular price tickets when you buy a season ticket pass for two at $175. Season tickets are also available through the Newberry Opera House box office at 803-276-6264.