By KALEY CONNER

kconner@dailynews.net

In many ways Friday's banquet was a typical three-course meal. Appetizers were served, wine was poured and diners were settled in for an enjoyable evening.

But a loud cry of "All aboard the Disoriented Express!" put an abrupt halt to dinnertime conversation, as a man dressed like a hunched-over, elderly butler roamed the dining room.

It all happened so quickly -- a bizarre series of events resulted in the murder of famous actress Dame Natasia, and attendees of Hays Arts Council's annual meeting and event were asked to put their sleuthing skills to the test.

About 100 people attended Friday's "Murder on the Disoriented Express" dinner event at Fort Hays State University's Robbins Alumni & Endowment Center, featuring two actors with Upstage Productions, a St. Louis-based entertainment company.

But several in attendance also became impromptu actors for the evening, playing the part of several suspects in the actress' death. Among them was Hays resident Gwyn Maximov, who runs a daycare center.

"I don't act, except with my kids," she said with a laugh.

Her audience Friday evening was quite different than what she's used to, but that didn't stop Maximov from delivering an enthusiastic performance as actress Tallulah, Dame Natasia's biggest rival.

Hays residents also had some help in solving the crime -- Sherlock Holmes, Charlie Chan, Lt. Columbo, and Kelly, aka "the pretty one," from "Charlie's Angels," also were called in to help.

But it was Hays attorney Randy Clinkscales who eventually cracked the case, even though it was his first time to attend a mystery dinner.

"I stole that from 'The Shining,'" he said of his sleuthing methods.

It turned out the killer was none other than Brenda Meder, executive director of the HAC.

"I'm sorry," Meder said, offering an excuse or two.

She was as surprised as anybody, Meder said, to have been tagged as the perpetrator of the fake crime. But nonetheless, it proved to be an enjoyable evening, she said, adding that such events could be held more often if the public demanded it.

"It was a wonderful evening," she said. "It met or exceeded our expectations."