MEET THE MMD PLAYERS – Mobile Mystery Dinners

MEET YOUR MMD PLAYERS!!

SUSAN AMES
Susan has been with MMD Players since 2011, acting in various plays, enjoying them all! She performs at various local community theatres and has been a supernumerary with the Mobile Opera. She got bit by the acting bug many years ago and has enjoyed being a MMD Player and performing for the fabulous MMD audiences. Susan makes her home in Daphne.

JILL BALL
Jill is a lifelong Mobilian, mom and Murphy High School grad. She is a tuxedo specialist at Randalls Men’s Formalwear and has been helping the men of Mobile look their formal best for a long time! It is surprising that she’s been dressing the men of Mobile for a long long time, because she is only 29 years young (and holding).
Acting silly for the wonderful guests of Mobile Mystery Dinners is one of her favorite leisure activities.

TOM BALL
I’m a butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker…not really, but I’ll play one if I’m cast.
I love entertaining the masses with MMD’s great actors!!

DOUG BRYANT

I was born male and single at a very early age in Mobile Alabama where I grew up. I attended the University of Alabama from 1973 to 1976. I am a land surveyor by profession, employed by Mobile Asphalt Company. I have three fantastic children and five wonderful grandchildren. I am still male and single.

MIMI BRYANT

Born in Butler Pennsylvania, in one form or another Mimi has spent most of her life on stage. In high school she wrote and directed short plays for her school

She was also a member of Thespians and taught drama to elementary school students while still in high school.

As a teenager her family moved to Wilmington North Carolina where she performed in shows at Thalian Hall, a local community theater in Wilmington.

After moving to the Gulf Coast, Mimi was awarded the title of Mrs New Orleans. She also won numerous titles and beauty pageants and was voted most photogenic in a national competition. She that work with CBS and other local movies that were being filmed on the Gulf Coast as well as working with commercial industry and hair advertising industry. Mimi work as a makeup artist for over 10 years. She’s done makeup for Mobile Opera and America’s Junior Miss. She also spent countless years doing modeling and coordinating fashion shows in the Mobile area. Mimi started working with MMD 6 years ago. She has written three shows and has performed in numerous others. Currently she resides in Spanish Fort Alabama and works in Property Management.

STEFANIE BURGETT
Stefanie is from Tuscaloosa, AL (Roll Tide!!). She began acting at the age of 5. She has done musical theatre for more than 20 years. She is the owner of 2 companies in Baldwin County. High Tide, which is a CBD Dab bar and Sassy Fans, a wholesale boutique. Stefanie enjoys performing at MMD with her husband, Nick. Stefanie has been with MMD for 8 years. “Most of my favorite memories are with MMD.”

LEO (LV) CONAWAY
Has been with MMD since the very first performance at The Bragg-Mitchell Mansion in 1999.
LV builds all props for our performances and helps in all areas of MMD.
LV owns his own business, Contractors Diversified, and is very active in Mobile Mardi Gras as well as MMD.

CASEY COOPER
Casey has done community and professional theater since elementary school and been active with MMD since 2021.
Originally from Texas, she loves a good (or not so good) costume and relishes the opportunity to interact with MMD audiences.

“Hey do want to do a play?” And that’s how Alison Foster came to be a part of performing with the MMD in 2021. Alison enjoys being the center of attention and comedy is a fun gig! Some of her favorite roles are Tim in Spamalot with community theater in Daphne and any role with MMD where she can be an old lady with a fun wig, like Gertie! Alison lives in Orange Beach, enjoying life in paradise with her three youngest kids still at home (two oldest at Auburn-War Eagle!).

VENUS SHANTAE DaViss
Venus is a regional performer, who has won the Nappie Award for best performer in Mobile for ten years! She has been with MMD for several years and performs mainly, opening the evening, for MMD. Once in a while, you may see her in a play, but because she is so busy performing in New Orleans and Mobile, she is too busy for rehearsals, So, normally, you will see her as our opening act!! We all love our Venus!!

CINDY GRAY

Cindy has been involved in local community theater for 7 years and Chickasaw Improv for 3 years. Cindy has recently joined MMD as a MMD Player and loves every minute of it. The audiences at Mobile Mystery Dinners are the best!!
When not acting, Cindy works in the Mobile County School System.

ROD (THE KING) HAMRICK
Rod has been with MMD since 2013. He is the Qualifying Broker at Dream Home Realty – Alabama Gulf Coast. Rod is also an Elvis Tribute Artist. He has won and also has been finalist in multiple National Competitions, including Images of The King, Realtors Got Talent & the Isle of Capri Casino. He has performed from Mexico to Las Vegas, Memphis to Tampa all points between, including the Carnival Fantasy. He studied Psychology and Counseling at Troy University. Rod is from Mobile, and lives in Orange Beach.

BARBARA LADNIER
Barbara assists with plays for MMD in Baldwin County and doing a great job!! More from Barbara –
“I am Native Baldwin County and still live there because there is no where else I want to live! My father was one of the largest truck farmers in Alabama and my mother taught school. I graduated from Foley High, went to Livingston University for the two most fun years of my life and then to Mobile Infirmary where I became a Registered Nurse. I did Home Health nursing for 34 years, winning the Alabama Home Health Nurse of the Year Award in 1995, I retired 10 years ago and in 2002 opened my business, Utopia, a boutique in Fairhope. I now have 2, one at the Wharf and one in Fairhope. I have a husband and 2 daughters, one who also acts with MMD on occasion. I am a ghost hunter, I am a Marshall and ride a horse in my Baldwin County Mardi Gras Parade, and was president of my Mobile Mardi Gras group in 2017. I have been with MMD for about 8 years and it changed my life. It helped me so much with being able to speak during Mardi Gras Meetings, and in front of people. I write one murder mystery play a year, and love doing it and other plays with MMD. “

MICHELLE LeBLANC

“I am a retired Radiation Oncology nurse. I also do volunteer work for the city. I have 4 grandchildren and am happily very involved in their lives. I became involved as an MMD Player through my special friend, LV Conaway, who has been with MMD since the very beginning. I started out helping with costume changes and moved into acting. I love entertaining MMD guests, helping them forget their worries and just have a good time and I’ve have never looked back!!

ALEX MURDOCK
Alex is a native of Mobile where he has attended McGill-Toolen Catholic High School and attended the University of South Alabama where he received a degree in Public Relations. While attending South Alabama Alex also joined the Army ROTC program where he earned his commission as an officer in the United States Army. Alex has been acting in Mobile at The Playhouse in the Park since his sophomore year in high school where he has played roles like Daddy Warwick’s in “Annie”, Fagin in “Oliver” and Ebenezer Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol”. Alex has been a member of the MMD players for 8 years and resides in Mobile with his wife, Meg.

FELICIA PORTELLA
Felicia has been with MMD for several years. She is a school teacher with Mobile County.

RAY STILES
Has been a MMD Player with Mobile Mystery Dinners Since 2012. Was dragged into this world of acting and has grown to love it so much, he will have to be dragged away from it. As a former Baseball player and a coach, where performing was self-satisfying, acting is a way to give back. “If I can make you forget about what is going on outside these walls for a few hours, I have done my job”

IN MEMORIAM - WE REMEMBER AND MISS YOU WITH LOVE...

WALTER LEE BENSON – 09-04-1947 – 01-14-2014
Lee joined MMD after 20 year of active service in the U.S. Military. He worked and retired from USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital, here in Mobile.
Lee was with MMD since its beginning and wrote several plays for us. Our favorites being, 1863 MURDER AT THE MANSION and MURDER AT FRUIT CAKE INN. We were located at Bragg-Mitchell Mansion when we started, and Lee wrote 1863 Murder at the Mansion with the Bragg in mind, having John Bragg as the central character.

JACQUELINE MURRAY (MUR) BENSON – 09-17-1948 – 12-25-2023
Murray was in the very first play we performed in late 1999, and was a faithful member and supporter of MMD for over 23 years. After her retirement she became even more active with MMD. She is the only person in our 24 years who ever played the part of SAM ANILLA, in INSANITY OF MURDER. We retired that part in the play in her memory after her passing. She was always faithful and willing to help us with our Mardi Gras Tableaus for Military Reunions and always helped us out as FLOATING ISLAND in our public ghost tours…We could always depend on our Murray!! She is a dear friend and sorely missed by all of us at Mobile Mystery Dinners.

JON GREEN – 10-06-1951 – 08-12-2024
Jon was with MMD since our first days at the Bragg-Mitchell Mansion in 1999 for a total of 25 years. Jon was from Texas and was in theater most of his adult life. He lived on the Eastern Shore and participated in our Baldwin County Performances. Jon was a tremendous actor and a great entertainer. He is missed very much by both his MMD family and our MMD guests.

LINDA GAYLE (GAY) MULLIS- 09-27-63 – 12-26-2011
Being the daughter of MMD’s owner/producer, Gay helped build MMD when we began in 1999.
She was in every performance until she moved out of state.
Gay, in addition to her acting, was the mother of 3, an artist, singer, composer and an international model, having modeled in New York, Paris, Milan and Hollywood.
She is greatly loved and missed by her friends and family.

NATHAN SMITH – 03- 23,-73 – 11- 23-2018
Nathan was born in Mobile and he had one son.
He was a very talented & professional artist and actor.
He was an MMD Player, and later performed in community theater before going professional and performed in several movies.

BETH CONES – 03-11-1963 – 05-15-2020
“I’m honored to be a part of MMD going on 3 years now. I started with MMD as a “last minute fill in” for Murder at Miss Kitty’s Kat House and have been hooked ever since and thank goodness Ms. Ginny invited me back. I’ve had the pleasure of being in many different plays over the past 4 years. I’m originally from Chalmette, LA and attended Nicholls State University (NSU) in Thibodaux, LA on a volleyball scholarship. I earned an Associate’s and Bachelor Degree in Office Administration then entered graduate school at NSU and was the Assistant Volleyball Coach for a semester while I earned my M.B.A. After graduate school, I began playing 2 man beach volleyball in Louisiana. In 1988, my partner and I won state in co-ed 2 man and I played in the Women’s Pro Beach Volleyball Tournament. In 1993 I moved to Mobile for a job with The Berry Company in outside sales. I continue to play beach volleyball at Tropics Bar & Grill in Spanish Fort. I have 2 beautiful children Nicholas, 21 and Anna 18 and 2 dogs Gracie and Bella.”
….Beth performed with MMD faithfully and was truly loved by all. She was in practically every performance after she joined the MMD Players. Her last performance with us was 6 months before she lost her battle to cancer.