I want to thank Donald Blackfox of Blackfox Productions for all the photographs that are on this site. He has done an amazing job capturing the essence and expression of each of our shows.
(It is illegal to copy or reproduce any of these images without express written consent from Donald Blackfox.)

At Bridie Manor, Oswego NY - March 31 & April 1, 2006
Tammy Balamut, Hope Greco, Joanna Lipton, Doug MacDonald, John O'Brien, Greg Salmon,
 Laura K. Vannah, Jen Wallace
Produced and Directed by Laura K. Vannah; Assisted by Brandin Greco & Debbie McCoy

A Real-Life Proposal April 1, 2006

Saturday night's mystery dinner theater production of "Marriage Can Be Murder" had an unexpected, but special twist. During the performance by Bright Star ProductionZ at Bridie Manor in Oswego, audience member Al Clark, of Oswego, proposed to his girlfriend, Beth Conte, in front of the cast and a packed house. Laura K. Vannah, producer, director and last minute actor, received a call from Clark almost a month ago and though she said she has been asked all sorts of strange requests, this was the strangest by far - would she be willing to include a proposal in the show itself. Hesitating only for a moment, she said she quickly agreed.

"Stranger things have happened and as long as you know she (Beth) won't be upset by your choice of venue, I'm all for it," she told Clark on the phone.

Vannah then went to work on finding the most appropriate place in the script to put this wonderful event. Two weeks later Clark called back saying, 'the package' had arrived and that he was all set. They discussed the exact signal and timing of his proposal. Vannah had decided to include them as part of the production as the Flower Girl and Best Man so Conte wouldn't suspect anything when the two were called up again at the end of the show. Vannah informed her cast of what they would be doing and said they all waited anxiously for Saturday night. She said she herself checked in Clark and the unsuspecting Conte that evening, sneaking in a quick wink to Clark as she seated them at their table. One of the cast members, Alphonso, played by John O'Brien, almost let the cat out of the bag when he asked if they were married yet.

" We're not sure how Clark kept a straight face as Beth emphatically told him 'no', but he did," said Vannah with a laugh.

The show progressed, the dinner was served, the murder took place, the crime was solved and with only a few lines left to the show, Vannah, playing Madge, asked if there was anyone else who wanted to get in on the three marriages that were about to take place in the script. This was Clark's cue. Having already been up on stage as the Flower Girl, he stood up, grabbed Conte's hand, said, "Sure, why not?" and seated her in the chair that Vannah had just put out for her. Tears welled up in Clark's eyes as he stood there and told Beth how much his life had changed since she'd come into it five years ago, adding emotionally that he wanted her to be a part of the rest of his life. He then got down on one knee and asked Conte to marry him. The cast held their breath, but only for a moment as Conte immediately replied, "Of course I will," causing everyone at the event to burst into applause.

The last few lines of the script were played, with Conte shaking in elation and Clark grinning with bliss. After the curtain calls were done, the Super Sleuth of the evening awarded a Bright Star ProductionZ T-shirt and the night came to a close, final pictures were taken to comemorate the momentous occasion with Conte holding onto Clark in glowing happiness.

Vannah told Clark's mother, who e-mailed her the next day, "I was very happy to have had a minor role in this 'performance'. The whole audience was thrilled that this special event took place in front of them. And he did a wonderful job of proposing! I wish them all the happiness in the world for many years to come!"