The interactive dinner theater production Ghosted! A Haunted Mystery Comedy opens Friday night at 7 p.m. at the historic Monticello Opera House, offering audiences a blend of live performance, audience-solved whodunits, and a full catered meal running through September 20, 2026.
Here is the kicker: instead of sitting back in the dark, patrons in the downstairs Perkins Banquet Hall get to interrogate the suspects between bites of herb-crusted chicken.
- The Plot: Celebrity medium Isaac Ghoulstone returns to Houlstone Manor for a chaotic séance to find a missing deed while dodging vengeful ghostly relatives.
- The Schedule: Performances run September 4 through September 20, 2026, with Friday and Saturday shows at 7 p.m. and a Sunday early dinner show at 5 p.m.
- The Menu & Tickets: Tickets are $57 and include a multi-course dinner catered by VJ’s Florida Grill & Barbecue, with vegan and gluten-free options available by advance request.
Inside Houlstone Manor: What Audiences Can Expect
Dinner theater has long walked a tightrope between culinary compromise and theatrical cheese. But regional spaces like the Monticello Opera House continue to lean into tactile, community-driven entertainment that streaming platforms simply cannot replicate. According to the venue’s event details, the narrative centers on self-proclaimed world’s greatest psychic Isaac Ghoulstone. He is attempting to prove his mettle at his ancestral estate, Houlstone Manor, while hunting down a missing property deed.
The catch? The manor is packed with dead relatives who want to keep the homestead in the family permanently. Audience participation remains entirely optional, but active sleuths who successfully crack the case can win prizes, including tickets to future Monticello Murder Mystery Dinner Theater (MMDT) productions. It is a formula that trades CGI spectacle for immediate, room-wide improvisational energy.
Dinner, Drinks, and Dietary Logistics
Producing interactive dinner theater means the kitchen has to sync its timing precisely with the script’s pacing. VJ’s Florida Grill & Barbecue handles the heavy lifting on the culinary side this season. The main menu features a garden salad followed by a hand-tossed, herb-crusted chicken breast with lemon butter sauce, accompanied by mashed potatoes and broccoli, capped off with an Italian cannoli filled with ricotta cream.
For patrons with alternative dietary needs, the venue provides dedicated options. The vegan menu swaps in a garden squash boat filled with carrots, peas, and corn served with rice and vegetable broth, ending with a bowl of fruit. Gluten-free guests receive a grilled chicken breast, potatoes, broccoli, and fruit. But the operational clock ticks fast: tickets must be secured in advance by 9 a.m. on the Thursday before the weekend performance, and special seating or dietary requests must clear the office ahead of that deadline.
Regional Theater in the Streaming Era
Live, localized dinner theater relies on immediate community engagement and physical gathering.
The Monticello Opera House utilizes its historic architecture to ground the supernatural comedy in physical atmosphere. Doors open one hour before curtain, and a full cash and credit bar serves premium beer, wine, and cocktails to set the mood before the séance begins.
| Show Detail | Specification |
|---|---|
| Venue | Monticello Opera House (Perkins Banquet Hall) |
| Run Dates | September 4 – September 20, 2026 |
| Showtimes | Friday & Saturday at 7 PM; Sunday at 5 PM |
| Ticket Price | $57 (Includes dinner, show, and taxes/fees vary by upgrades) |
| Catering Partner | VJ’s Florida Grill & Barbecue |
The Final Act
Whether you turn out to test your inner detective or simply enjoy a night of dinner and live comedy, Ghosted! offers a sharp reminder of why regional theater remains a vital weekend staple.
Are you stepping into the Perkins Banquet Hall to interrogate Isaac Ghoulstone’s ghostly relatives this weekend, or staying home to scroll through your queue? Drop your thoughts and amateur sleuth theories in the comments below.
