Sunshine, Suspense, and a Suitcase Full of Suspects: Riddlesbrood Takes Florida!

Florida has sunshine, beautiful beaches, fabulous hotels, and plenty of reasons to stay another night. Recently, Riddlesbrood Touring Theater Company added a few more: suspicious characters, ridiculous investigations, and dinner plans with a distinctly murderous twist. Our latest Premier Destinations adventure took us through Clearwater, Sarasota, Miami, and Jacksonville, bringing six live performances to five venues between August 26 and September 5, 2026. Along the way, we served up four different show themes and brought theatrical fun beyond the scheduled performances with character appearances that helped introduce the entertainment to hotel guests.

For hotel managers, resort teams, and venue planners, this trip offers a delicious little glimpse of what can happen when you put live comedy on the itinerary. Your property supplies the setting. Your guests bring their curiosity. We arrive with the characters, the mystery, and some very questionable alibis. After all, a lovely dinner is a pleasure. A lovely dinner where everyone starts wondering who did it? Now you have an event. Florida followed our first Premier Destinations expedition to Las Vegas, where we performed six shows across multiple venues and put this expanding touring concept into action. That trip established an exciting starting point: bringing several performances into one destination could open doors for venues interested in hosting our brand of interactive entertainment. You can revisit that adventure in our Las Vegas trip recap.

This time, the itinerary traded desert scenery for Florida sunshine, with a route that connected hotel dining, themed entertainment, and a gastropub finale. The variety was part of the appeal. Each booking gave a venue a different way to make live theater part of its own guest experience. Our Florida performances began at The Karol Hotel in Clearwater, with two evenings at Katch Bistro. On August 26, we brought in CSI: Crime Scene Idiots. The following evening, August 27, the mystery changed gears with Roaring Funnies. Two evenings. Two themes. One very good reason to give the usual dinner routine a night off. Katch Bistro's offering paired the entertainment with a prix fixe dinner, giving guests a complete evening built around food, comedy, and an interactive mystery. For a hotel restaurant, that combination provides a clear invitation: come for a special dining experience with something happening around the table as well as on the plate. The two-show approach also illustrates an option for properties considering more than one date. Different themes give your team distinct events to promote. One night can appeal to the would-be detectives; another can invite guests into a different comic world. The venue remains familiar while the entertainment changes, creating fresh material for another invitation, another reservation, and another evening out.

Next came Sarasota, where we performed Silver Dollar Saloon at Art Ovation Hotel on August 29.

A Western mystery in a Florida hotel? Absolutely. One of the pleasures of themed entertainment is how quickly a familiar room can suggest somewhere else entirely. You do not need to move your property to the frontier to put a little frontier foolishness on the calendar. A show title, a strong theme, and performers who bring that world to life give your event an identity guests can understand immediately. There is a reason to dress up, gather friends, and make a plan. The Sarasota booking also included a costumed walkaround before the performance. That adds another useful dimension for hospitality venues: the entertainment can begin reaching people before the main show starts. Characters moving through an agreed guest area can introduce the evening, spark curiosity, and create opportunities for conversation. Suddenly, the event has a face—and that face may look deeply suspicious.

Then it was on to Miami for two hotel engagements with two different mysteries. On September 2, JW Marriott Miami hosted our Sherlock Holmes murder mystery. On September 3, Miami Marriott Dadeland welcomed Roaring Funnies. Sherlock Holmes gives prospective guests a recognizable starting point: there is a mystery to unravel, and some detective work is clearly in order. Roaring Funnies offers another flavor of theatrical comedy. For a venue choosing its entertainment, that range matters. Your audience, dining concept, and promotional calendar can help guide the selection. The Miami schedule also included promotional walkaround appearances ahead of those performances. Those appearances show how a booking can become part of a property's activity across several days. A guest who encounters a character can learn about an upcoming show while there is still time to make evening plans. Picture the possibilities for your own property: a conversation in a guest gathering area, a playful introduction to the mystery, and an invitation to return for the full event. Coordinate that with your team's booking information and you have a personal way to put the entertainment in front of potential attendees.

Our Florida performance run concluded on September 5 at Kickbacks GastroPub in Jacksonville, where CSI: Crime Scene Idiots returned for another investigation of highly debatable competence. That final stop rounded out a route spanning hotel restaurants, hotel event settings, and a gastropub. For larger venues and hospitality groups, the range is worth considering. A property may have several potential settings for an event: a restaurant, a private dining room, or a banquet space. The planning conversation starts with the audience and the experience you want to offer, then considers the room, timing, and practical requirements. The Florida itinerary gives concrete examples of that flexibility. Six performances did not require six identical concepts. The tour included crime comedy, Sherlock Holmes, Roaring Funnies, and a Western mystery, giving different hosts different starting points for their events.

And in November the fun continues in in Mississippi and Louisiana! First at the Cotton House, Cleveland, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel! (215 Cotton Row, Cleveland, MS 38732) Nov 8th, 9th and 10th. Call (662) 843-7733.  Then were off to Beyond the French Quarter on Nov 11th and 13th! (Right outside of New Orleans! 6301 Paris Rd, Chalmette, LA 70043) and you can reach them at (504) 249-8961.

So how does a venue become part of the adventure?

Through Premier Destinations, Riddlesbrood plans visits to destination markets and brings professional performers into the region for a series of bookings. Trips typically run about five to ten days, allowing participating venues to schedule entertainment while the company is nearby. Available themes include Sherlock Holmes, CSI-style mysteries, Pirates, Westerns, and Roaring Twenties entertainment. Joining an existing trip can make the booking more cost-effective; ask us about the options for your location and dates. For your team, the creative possibilities start with a simple question: what would you like guests to have a reason to attend? Perhaps it is a ticketed dinner, a special evening for a visiting group, a client appreciation event, or an addition to your resort's activities. Give the occasion a theme, connect it with your food and beverage offering, and build the invitation around the experience. A mystery gives your marketing team plenty to work with. There is a premise to tease, a date to circle, and an obvious invitation to bring friends. Your chef can consider a complementary menu. Your events team can consider group bookings. Your guest services staff can point visitors toward an evening happening right at the property. There is also room to think beyond overnight visitors. Depending on your event format, a themed dinner can give local residents a reason to discover your restaurant or return with another couple. For a hotel that wants stronger connections with its surrounding community, an inviting evening of entertainment can become a useful introduction. The mystery gets their attention; your hospitality gives them more to enjoy afterward.