Set Sail to Adams Mystery Playhouse for Murder on Pirate Island

Since 2006, the eccentric mansion at 2406 Federal Boulevard has housed the Adams Mystery Playhouse. After years as a nomadic group operating out of rented spaces, co-owners Carlos and Marne Wills-Cuellar bought the historic structure to house their renowned Death for Dinner murder-mystery dinner theater performances.

“What we do is a little bit different,” says Nick Guida, a longtime actor, director and writer for the company. “The process here is not normally how you would think of theater. Normally, there’s an audition, your cast rehearses for God knows how long, and then there’s a little run of the show. And — unless theater has changed substantially since I was working in it thirty years ago — you don’t make any money. It’s kind of the opposite here; when actors do a…