It was my fifth case with The Mystery Café, and the writing was on the email: this would be my last. After its 38th season, the Café is closing down. The head of the agency, Brian Kelly, cites rising food costs as one of the motives, though I just heard President Trump say grocery prices are lower than they’ve ever been since the Great Depression, so who knows what to believe. One thing was certain: a crime was going to be committed at the Kar-a-OK-e Corral, and I needed to be there to help find the murderer.

The problem? It was the worst weather of the season in Minnesota. The roads were slicker than the cap of an olive oil bottle after the kids have “helped” you cook dinner. I made it to the venue, though it was a white-knuckler if I’ve ever seen one. Mother Nature was angrier than a TSA agent without a paycheck, and I knew this crime needed to be solved quickly before the roads became completely impassable.

When I arrived, I was met at the entrance by Mama Myrna Shamwow herself, owner of the Kar-a-OK-e Corral. Mama was full of life, though her sense of fashion direction had clearly taken a turn down bargain basement alley. It was immediately clear that she might be a little down on her luck, but that didn’t affect her confidence. This was her place, and she was firmly in charge. Rumors of karaoke fixing had swirled around Mama like bees around a little black rain cloud for years, but so far she’d never been stung. This year, however, the Ham Lake City Council announced that things would be watched closely to ensure everything was above board.

The news that there would be no fix this year ran through the contestants like COVID through a senior center on grandkids’ day. They were elated, unlike the residents of a senior center four to seven days after grandkids’ day. All of them, that is, except Tiffany Shamwow, Mama’s daughter and six-time winner of the annual singing competition. Tiffany was none too pleased to learn she wouldn’t be handed the championship on a golden platter this time.

Not yet knowing what crime would be committed, I began making a mental list of potential victims and suspects. First up were Sully and Shar, a couple who saw this as their first real chance to win. Shar was so desperate for victory that she prevented Sully from singing, which clearly upset Sully, and seemed to relieve the audience. Next was Colt Yokum, Mama’s accountant and a man with friends in low places. Then there was Iris Vox, Tiffany’s perpetual second fiddle, who she played like a harp from hell. It wasn’t hard to imagine Iris getting as tired of Tiffany plucking her strings, as this metaphor is. Also in the mix was last-minute entrant Jimi Wylde, as gifted vocally as he was clueless about everything else. Finally, there was Bernie Love, the DJ, who opened with a musical number that left me wondering why he wasn’t competing.

As for the crime itself? I’ll leave that to you, faithful readers, to discover when you make your final journey to The Mystery Café.

This show gives audience members the opportunity to sign up and perform a karaoke song during the evening, for those so inclined. I attended a Sunday brunch performance, when the weather, and therefore the roads, were particularly terrible. I don’t drink, and I’m therefore unlikely to summon the courage to sing karaoke under any circumstances. Add in the time of day and the icy roads, and participation was understandably low. We did have two audience performances, both so good that they effectively shut down the rest of us who lack confidence in our vocal abilities. I’m told evening performances inspire much higher levels of participation, and that it’s a judgment free, just have fun space.

The food, as always, was enjoyable, and I loved seeing some of my favorite local performers. Josh Carson plays Sully and does finally get to sing, once the waitstaff had collected their tips. I’m not saying there’s a correlation, but I’m also not not saying it. Also performing are Twin Cities power couple Nissa Nordland and Sam “the Man” Landman as Tiffany Shamwow and Bernie Love.

This may not be the funniest Mystery Café show I’ve seen, and the mystery itself is no Agatha Christie or Conan Doyle puzzle. Though it’s fair to say it stumped me. But like all their productions, it’s an enjoyable outing with friends or family, but never both, don’t cross the streams. I gave tickets as a Christmas gift to the Aged P’s and my brother and sister-in-law; it’s been a bit of a tradition for us, and I’m genuinely sad to have to find something new next year.

The addition of karaoke is an inspired one and likely adds a lot to the fun. I happened to see it under less than ideal circumstances, but I’m confident that anyone who sings, or drinks enough to think they can, will enjoy it even more.

Showdown at the Kar-a-OK-e Corral runs through February 15 at Majestic Oaks Golf Club in Ham Lake. The show includes dinner (or brunch at matinees) and a crime. If karaoke isn’t your thing, there are two other shows in this final season: A Cruise-mas Carol, running through January 9 at the Sheraton Bloomington, and ’Til Death Do Us Die, playing January 16–31, also at the Sheraton Bloomington.

You can read my reviews of previous years’ productions here:
https://bit.ly/TSOMNCruismasCarol
https://bit.ly/41TqaJh

For performance dates and reservations, visit:
https://www.themysterycafe.com/

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