Combining the hypnotic rhythm of wheels rolling along railroad tracks with narrow corridors and dimly lit spaces creates the perfect backdrop for a murder mystery.
The Seminole Gulf Railway offers a dinner theater experience unlike any other in Southwest Florida. The Murder Mystery Dinner Train, which began in 1991 only as a dinner train, mixes theater with culinary delights and scenic local rail travel.
Robert Fay, the executive vice president of Seminole Gulf Railway, has spent a lifetime working in the family business.
“We’ve had the railroads since 1987, and we’ve had the murder mystery dinner train since 1991,” he said. “Not only do we run the Murder Mystery Dinner Train, but we have the Freight Railroad that serves all of South Florida. We have a line that runs from North Naples to Arcadia, up through Fort Myers and Punta Gorda, and we also have the line that serves Sarasota, from a freight perspective. Our history as a group of companies is rail-based.”
The Murder Mystery Dinner Train idea originated when Fay’s mother watched Agatha Christie’s classic train mystery Murder on the Orient Express.
“My mom had watched The Orient Express because it was on TV one night. She goes, ‘You know what? That would be a lot of fun. Why don’t we make something?’” he said. “So, she went around. She sought out the right people in town to put an acting group together and make it happen. And over the years, we’ve internalized it all, so we produce all the shows. 99.9 percent of the shows are written in-house.”
“We cook all the food. We view ourselves as one of the great local restaurants, and we’re also an attraction at the same time because we’re a little bit different. Not everybody moves. We move,” he added.
From the station at Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers, the dinner train meanders 20 miles north through downtown Fort Myers, over the Caloosahatchee River, and into rural Lee and Charlotte counties, where it stops. While stopped, patrons enjoy their dinner entrees before the return trip to Fort Myers. Included in each ticket price is a five-course meal, murder mystery show, and train ride. Murder Mystery Dinner Trains depart promptly at 6:30 p.m. (and 5:30 p.m. on Sunday and certain holidays).
“Some of what you see is the working side of the railroad, and that’s just part of it. But you also get the beautiful vistas across the Caloosahatchee. It’s a lot of woods, but it has fantastic views of the river and downtown and beautiful sunsets during the right time of year,” said Fay.
While enjoying a five-course meal and beverage service, Murder Mystery Dinner Train passengers receive playbills and clue sheets so they can record clues throughout the show. Patrons of each dining car compete for prizes and the distinction of crime-solving super sleuths.
“I think a big part of it is the food. People come back for multiple reasons,” Fay said. “I think we have a lot of repeat business of people who’ve come back over decades. They come back because they want to see a new show. They come back for the food. We haven’t changed our menu in decades. We do the same. We’re still serving the same food we were serving back in the ’90s. We do slow roast prime rib. We have a salmon dish that’s usually a poached salmon, and currently, we’re doing a chicken Francese. There’s an appetizer, bread and rolls, etc., salad, soup, entree and everybody gets dessert. That’s all part of the package price, and we have a full bar.”
Louise K. Cornetta transitioned from a 27-year corporate management job to acting on the Murder Mystery Dinner Train a little over a year ago and became the dedicated stage manager late last year. “For the train, I am working with many different actors, letting them know when we are going to perform a scene and in which car, making sure everyone has their props as well as working with the waitstaff to make sure I know which cars are being served first and if they are on time with their service and what time they are shooting to return to the depot. I also am the conduit for the actors and waitstaff if any issues or questions come up,” said Cornetta.
Scenes rotate and each car on the train sees the same show. Fay explained that the acts are sequential, but the scenes are not.
“I love that every night is a new adventure. Each car has its own energy. Some cars are very vocal during our scenes, while others are more intently listening to capture all the clues. It’s always fun to hear when we reveal who the killer is, as people erupt whether it’s because they guessed right or wrong. The costumes are top-notch, too, and it really makes you feel like you’re going back in time riding a train all dressed up,” Cornetta said.
For gourmet dining and a unique entertainment experience unlike anything else in the area, the Murder Mystery Dinner Train is a must.
“In a broad sense, you come out to have a great time and enjoy something that’s unique to Fort Myers. There’s only a couple of these things around the country,” said Fay. “A lot of folks have come and gone, but we’ve been here. You’re just not going to find it anywhere else, even in the States. For that reason alone, it’s worth it to give us a look. Do something totally different.”
Please log onto http://www.semgulf.com for a list of upcoming performances, ticket prices, and directions to the Murder Mystery Dinner Train, 2805 Colonial Blvd., #1012, Fort Myers, FL 33916.
