“We gravitate to murder mysteries. That’s what we and our audiences like. I read up on a bunch of plays. I felt this one really fit us,” said Char Carlson who is in his 35th year of directing and acting with the group.

The play has fun western characters set in the 1890s with twists and turns of a murder mystery.

When Albert Webster (Shay All Runner) is murdered on the morning of his wedding to Kayla May Blossom (Brittany Johnson), there are many suspects in town.

She said the play with audience participation includes a variety of characters.

Staff photo by Fritz Busch Farm boy looking for a wife, Ken Johnson, left, listens to mercantile clerk Kelli Sorenson in "The Groom Has Cold Feet."

“Sheriff Tickel (Doug Daub) will ask the audience for murder clues and the audience can ask questions, which we encourage,” said Carlson. “It’s going to take audience help and all of his investigative skills and those of his sidekick daughter Sarah (Becca Krogstad) to solve this murder mystery.”

Other cast members are Kelli Sorenson, Lowell Krogstad, Ken Johnson, Amanda Johnson, Dawn Tietz, Lydia Sullivan, Alex Hulinsky, Becca Krogstad, Julia Garms (also co-director) and Kristin Rossow.

A retired Redwood County social worker, Carlson said Ken Johnson have been with the group for 24 years. His daughter Amanda, who works with Redwood Falls special education, is in her 11th year. Johnson’s daughter Brittany teaches agriculture and is Cedar Mountain FFA advisor.

Carlson said this winter has been good for the Morgan Players.

“We’ve had lots of nice weather this winter, so we didn’t have to call off many rehearsals,” she said. “I should add that our cast did lots of set and prop work.”

Staff photo by Fritz Busch The groom, Shay All Runner, left, talks to Kelli Sorenson as the Morgan Players rehearse "The Groom Has Cold Feet."

The audience participation murder mystery opens at 7 p.m., Friday, Feb. 27. Saturday’s performance features a hot meal with smoked brisket sandwiches, summer salad and ice cream beginning in the school cafeteria at 4:30 p.m. Saturday. The Cedar Mountain FFA is hosting the dinner. A freewill offering will be accepted.

Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for age 12 and under. Funds go directly to Morgan area organizations.

Staff photo by Fritz Busch Char Carlson has directed and acted with the Morgan Players for 35 years. She invites the audience to ask questions and participate in the murder mystery "The Groom Has Cold Feet" this weekend in the Cedar Mountain Auditorium.