"The power of a dream will always call each one of us forward. It's what is called forth from our hearts and no matter how many twists and turns you think you are taking away from those dreams, no matter how many roads you take, you will always be led right back to your heart's calling, your biggest dream." ~ Laura K. Vannah, 2003

My name is Laura K. Vannah and I founded Bright Star ProductionZ Murder Mystery Dinner Theater in the summer of 2004. As I wrote this page, I realized that it was exactly two years ago this month that I moved into the quiet little town of Mexico, NY. It would prove to be the best move I have ever made! Every aspect of the past eleven years on my life was about to synthesize in a way I'd never dreamt of.

I have been on stage in a variety of forms and roles since I was four years old. My first passion is music and I spent twenty years as a classically trained pianist. I spent ten years studying at the New England Conservatory for Music and was in the Boston Ballet's Nutcracker. In 1998, I rediscovered acting and the theater in my first official acting class at the Actor's Workshop in Boston, MA. I felt like I was finally home. For four years, all my creativity and attention became focused like a laser beam. I took class after class; played numerous roles; was one of two chosen to represent Team USA in Los Angeles for the World Championships for the Performing Arts, where I won the Silver Medal in Acting, the Bronze Medal in Stand-Up Comedy, and the Overall Championship Medal in Stand-Up Comedy for the 20-29 age group; completed the Director's Apprenticeship program at the Actor's Workshop, Boston; became a member of StageSource, The Alliance of Theatre Artists & Producers of New England; was hired as the editor and marketing representative of The Source, and subsequently became StageSource's Director of Member Services; worked for three years at Comedy Theater Productions, America's FIRST murder mystery dinner theater, as David Goldstein's Stage & Production Manager; and in 2001, was nominated for a Native American Music Award as a member of the Thunder Hawk Singers. Do you see where all of this is headed? Yeah, well at the time, I had no clue as to where all this would ultimately lead me.

It was about that time that I got 'cold feet' or maybe it was an alternate form of stage fright and I began to doubt myself. For the next three years, I ran in the opposite direction, away from my dreams. While I was in the process of denying my dreams and my heart's calling, I was learning some incredible skills and life lessons ~ I created and ran my own Desktop Publishing business, taught a bi-weekly workshop on Native American Animal Totems at a Native Addictions Centre and ran focus groups for Many Guns Traditional Consulting, Inc. ~ all of which lead me to Mexico NY and brought me right back to where I left my treasure box in 2001.

I spent the winter of 2003/2004 working and getting acquainted with Mexico, its citizens, and the surrounding area. No one here knew of my extensive and diverse background in the theater and corporate worlds and it wasn't until I returned from a weekend off from work in March 2004, which I took to audition for the MFA program in Acting at the Actor's Studio Drama School (ASDS) in NYC, that the cat was let out of the bag. Here's where my passion and desire met opportunity and destiny. I was working at Arena's Eis House Restaurant to supplement my income. When Sarah Arena, of Arena's Eis House, got wind of what I was going to do, she said, "you can always do dinner theater here." I really thought she was joking ~ turns out she wasn't.

My first call went out to my former boss and soon to be mentor, David Goldstein. He and a few friends created the whole murder mystery dinner theater genre in Cambridge, MA in 1986. I learned from the best! By May 5, 2004, I had my first script and was in a frantic search for actors. The longing I had felt for three years was reaching out to others who were feeling the same way. My first three actors, Brian Goldblatt, John O'Brien, and Debbie McCoy, had always wanted to do something like this. Without a second thought, they joined me for a very intense month of rehearsals and a crash course in acting. It was only three short weeks after I received the script that I had a full cast, having found Jackie Miles, Katherine Schwartz, Niki Delong, and Kerriane Thomas shortly after the first three. We launched our first production, 'Candidate for Murder', June 3, 2004, and Bright Star ProductionZ Murder Mystery Dinner Theater was born! And I have Paul and Sarah Arena to thank for giving me the opportunity to make my dreams come true.

 
Candidate For Murder, June 3, 2004

Now with numerous murder mystery shows under our belts, the thing I am most proud of is our actors! A lot of people fancy themselves funny, and few of them are willing to work as hard and stay as committed to what we are trying to do. It takes a special breed of actor to be able to execute the requirements that interactive dinner theater demands. The quality that I look for most when bringing new people into our company is desire. The true definition of 'amateur' is someone who does something because they love it. And I am very proud to say that I ONLY use amateurs in the truest sense of the word. High levels of initiative, resourcefulness, accountability, commitment, team work & support are required in any production. With all my company member, I have found that and more! We are more than a murder mystery dinner theater company, we are a family.

If you haven't been to one of murder mystery dinner theater shows, come check it out. It's a great combination of murder, mystery, music, interactive entertainment, food & fun. If you've been before, come on back! We always try new things to make your experience memorable and unique.

I thank you, Mexico and Oswego County, for your continued support (and attendance) of our dinner theater. I LOVE what I do, so make sure to check back often to see what new things we're offering.

This is just the beginning! Hope to MURDER you...I mean, SEE you at the show!

Laura K. Vannah 
Producer ~ Wearer of Many Hats 
November 2005