INDIANOLA — Mozzarella, marsala and a murder mystery.

All in a good night’s act for the NK Options’ dinner theater as the annual fund-raiser enters its 5th year this weekend with the presentation of “The Christening.”

Set in Uncle Gambino’s Italian restaurant, two mobster families are gathering to celebrate the christening of baby ‘Bino with music, dancing and a feast. But when the story takes a tragic turn and a guest is mysteriously murdered, it becomes a quest to find the killer.

“(Audience members) can win a prize if you guess the right murderer, their weapon and how they did it,” said director Rose Riedel. “It’s really fun.”

The entire evening will take on an Italian theme as the murder mystery dinner theater takes the stage at 7 p.m. Feb. 17 and 18 and at 5 p.m. Feb. 19 at the Indianola Clubhouse.

The event — a fund-raiser for the North Kitsap School District’s Options program — will be filled with a four-course Italian meal, a silent auction and a chance to play Sherlock Holmes for a night.

“Of all fund-raisers in Kitsap County, this one has audience participation, a small, intimate setting with high-quality food, a good rate and an excellent cause,” Riedel said.

Tickets are $35 per person — which pays for the meal, the auction and the show. Proceeds benefit the NK Options Program, to help purchase educational supplies and pay for field trips.

It is NK Options’ only annual fund-raiser.

“It’s also really well done and very professional,” Riedel added.

“The Christening,” is an original production from Canadian playwright Brian Marsh, which has been tweaked by the group of actors and Options parents who will be performing the show, Riedel said.

“We have had great success in getting really fun mystery dinner plays from Brian Marsh,” Riedel said. “We take that and make it even better by adding humor and local references.”

And they also add on an Italian meal prepared by the NK Options ninth-grade culinary arts class along with Chef Nat Smith. The rest of the seventh, eighth and ninth grade Options students will be playing host and waiting on the audience.

This year’s dinner menu includes a delectable antipasto of seasoned veggies and fresh mozzarella, a greens salad, hand-made ravioli-lentil soup, and choice of basil cream vegetarian lasagna or stuffed pork loin with pistachio filling along with wild mushroom polenta, swiss chard with pine nuts, marsala and currants.

Capacity is limited to 80 plates a night, and the Friday and Saturday shows are nearly sold out, Riedel said. However, due to an increased demand over the years, a Sunday evening showtime has been added.

For reservations call the Rugosa Rose Flower Shop in Port Gamble at (360) 297-2604. Childcare is available, however, not on site, for more information, call Riedel at (360) 297-5563.

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