RigaTony’s: Myrtle Beach’s new true crime-inspired murder mystery dinner show
Picture this: You’ve arrived at a 1930’s style speakeasy for a secret party.
There’s music, ambiance, Italian bruschetta on the table, and you are enjoying the night with friends and family. All is going accordingly until suddenly, the acting crew informs you that someone has been murdered.
Located at 1329 North Kings Highway, Riga-Tony’s Murder Mystery Show opened in early June and was launched by a team of actors and servers to give tourists something unique in Myrtle Beach. The theme is 1930’s style prohibition era— it’s an infamous mobster’s birthday party and you are personally invited.
For $49.99 plus tax, the murder mystery show includes a four-course Italian meal and an interactive “investigation” to find out which among the crew or audience is the killer.
The meal, which starts at 6 p.m. everyday, includes bruschetta as the appetizer, followed by salad, lasagna, and cheesecake for the dessert.
The audience-wide investigation starts when the first person is “murdered,” which is decided by a member of the acting crew.
“You’ll have a bite or two of salad, and then someone may get poisoned. And then next thing you know, you’re going from eating to a homicide investigation,” Matt Hayward, one of the owners, said.
The concept behind Riga-Tony’s Murder Mystery Dinner Show started with a love of true crime and theater.
“Our society has become obsessed with the idea of criminals and murder,” Hayward said. “We decided that it’s a good time for us to take the comedy aspect that we’re so used to, and mix it with the 1930s murder mystery scene.”
The building, which used to be another theater, features a few items associated with the 1930’s, like a candy shop display once you enter and a speakeasy-style dining room set with a stage and a piano from the era.
When you sit down, the entire audience is divided into Mafia “families” where anyone could be a suspicious character. The characters, including Rigatony’s girlfriend, a detective and a news reporter, are played by local actors who focus on improvisation acting, meaning it’s made up along the way, to make the murder mystery show a unique experience.
While it’s not required, Hayward said that participants are encouraged to dress up and look the part for the investigation.
Cody Rice, the kitchen manager, said that each show, they try their best to throw the audience off and make it different from the last. Rice recommends paying attention to everyone, even those at your table.
“Accuse everybody. Question everything,” Rice said.