MARSHALL — An interactive entertainment experience awaits the audience today as the Holy Redeemer School eighth-graders get ready to present “Cafe Murder,” a dinner theater murder mystery by Nathan Hartswick.

The family-friendly whodunnit murder mystery is set in a small bistro at dinnertime.

“The show features Lauren Wherry as a restaurant owner who finds yet another guest dead in her eatery,” director Haley Chace said. “With diners, staff, and even the investigator as suspects, the audience is left to decide the guilt or innocence of each character.”

Chace said Evan Schotzko, Ava Holmgren, Daylin Crowley, Nnenna Onyeaghala and Sydeny Kramer portray siblings eating at the restaurant, while Josh Bauer is the waiter, Jonah Vierstraete is the chef and John Boerboom is the investigator.

“The students were excited to start the play, and had asked me as early as September this school year about doing one,” Chace said. “With such busy schedules, we weren’t able to even get auditions going until January, and then we were attacked by winter. Still, their hearts and intents were strong as we made one little rehearsal at a time. They ran lines at home with family, all the while keeping the murderer’s identity a secret — there has been much speculation in the non-acting student body as to who it may be.”

Backstage help include: Chidi Nwakama and Jacob Buysse (stage managers), Zach Kramer and Jon Gruhot (sound, curtains and lights), Simon Lanoue and Brandon Simpson (props), Taylor Miller, Abby Panka and Ava Holmgren (costumes and makeup) and Brianna Simpson (clerical work).

“Students have been working since January on the play,” Chace said. “They are heavily involved in basketball, hockey and dance, but they made time in their busy schedules to put the work in for the play. Rehearsals happened frequently at 6:45 in the morning and at 7:30. We also had more than half of our rehearsals canceled due to weather and school closings. What a mess!”

The murder mystery show begins at 6:30 p.m. today in the gymnasium at Holy Redeemer School. Unlike other plays in the past, this year’s performance is in a dinner theater format. Area community members are asked to RSVP to hchace@holy-redeemer.com, so a table assignment can be made for them.

A free will donation is taken at the door. Light snacks will be served, though people may choose to bring a snack to munch on, if they wish.