Arts & Culture in National City

Eschewing the over-the-top costumes and writing that typify many other murder-mystery dinners, The Dinner Detective San Diego’s cast of improvisational actors blends in with audiences, holding secrets tight to their chests while steering each night’s tension-filled storyline. After a diner is found murdered, a resident detective helps lead the investigation, allowing guests to interrogate one another with Tickle Monster tactics to distinguish the culprit among the crowd of fellow diners and dissembling thespians. Multicourse meals keep bodies well fueled during spurts of crime-solving intuition, and a prize basket awaits the gumshoe who comes closest to solving the case.

For those who struggle to read CliffsNotes without the guidance of a Sherpa, a night of fast-paced live-action literature at San Diego REP helps keep things clear, entertaining, and to the point. With 37 of Bill’s works performed in 97 minutes, the show traverses a mind-spiking storyline full of laughs, tears, and historical nuggets. One moment you're mourning the tragic death of yet another character, and the next you're realizing why your 8th-grade English paper scored modest marks.

Hello, Dolly! is the much-loved tale of matchmaker Dolly Gallagher Levi, who is hired to arrange a marriage but unsuspectingly falls in love with the groom, the parsimonious half-millionaire Horace Vandergelder. The story unravels in a musical fashion, with tunes such as "Before the Parade Passes By" and "It Only Takes a Moment" dotting the plotline. Performances are August 19 through September 5, showing Thursday through Sunday at 8 p.m.

Since its inception in the early 1970s, Lamb’s Players Theatre has entertained audiences in its two intimate theaters. Whether the nonprofit, artist-run company is producing classic works or original pieces, it focuses on themes such as community, contemporary culture, and spirituality.