"Shooting Blanks"
At The Adirondack Hotel

Life is unstable in the land of fillies and stallions, ever since the owner of the Dusty Trail Ranch was found dead on his back 40.

"Shooting Blanks" is a murder mystery that becomes wilder than a bucking bronco, when the audience tries to solve the mysterious death of Clyde 'Dusty' Dale. This year's annual winter murder mystery takes a few twists and turns down a trail of deceit that turns into a long shaggy horse tale.

Everything was galloping along nicely at the Adirondack Pony Association (APA), until it is discovered Clyde's Gold, the star stallion of the Dusty Trail Ranch, isn't hitting on all cylinders. The world of Adirondack Horse Breeding Society (AHBS) has turned up its collective noses a little higher than usual over this scandal.

Oddly enough the sterile stallion has sired 30 offspring and each colt earned Dusty $50,000 in stud fees. Another horse had to be the father, but which horse was Dusty profiting from. Raising the question "would someone put a bullet in Dusty's back over a horse that was shooting blanks?"

The whole herd is pointing fingers now that Dusty has been found dead in an open field...put out to pasture if you will, at his ranch in Trout Lake. A corral of characters all with a motive and the only way to solve this mystery is to turn the detective work over to the audience.

Everyone from the society princess to the crazy stable manager is a suspect, including Dusty's son Clyde Junior. Some even believe the murder has something to do with Dusty's feud with his neighbor Sandy Rhode of Fool's Gold Ranch. Recently Sandy had been seen with an "Abolish the APA" bumper sticker on his pickup.

In Trout Lake, where the men think they pull the carriages and the women are unbridled, anything is possible. A best friend today could be running from your buckshot tomorrow.

By the end of the "Shooting Blanks" the audience will have found out whose horse is which and which killer is who. In doing so the 'detectives' will hopefully have solved the mystery, earning them a chance at winning a prize.

"Shooting Blanks" is written by Saranac Lake playwright Gem*Boy, that doesn't always make horse sense, but is filled with a sense of Adirondack humor. Best of all there is a seasoned cast that audiences have enjoyed from the previous four winter mysteries!

Ticket and accommodation information is available by calling The Adirondack Hotel at at 518/624-4700. Also, http:www.northnet.org/gemboy