Following a long tradition of those who’ve enjoyed original musical mystery dinners at the Governor’s Inn before you, you’re treated upon arrival to “The Mystery of the Love Boat” to a buffet of veggies, cheese and fried shrimp, and the bar is open. As you’re nibbling contentedly, nerdy Cyrus Vanderworth (Robb Ross) introduces himself as a writer who’s desperate for a new idea for a novel. Enter the to-die-for detective Zelda (Kelli Leigh-Ann Connors) who decides to help Cyrus. She has an idea: a mystery cruise aboard the prominent cruise ship, the Rochester Ho!

That’s why, you now realize, “crew” and “passengers” have been wandering around, introducing themselves as you eat your crab cake salad; they’re members of the story. Among the crew, there’s sexy Ike (Jonathan Barron), the bartender who’s tended more than bars in his time; there’s the Tammy Faye Baker-esque Jules (Jennifer Batchelder), your Cruise Director, who offers “room service” (wink, nudge); there’s adorable Nikki (Meg Oolders), the Captain’s daughter, who’s meeting her secret online beau for the first time; and there’s your ship’s purser, the puppyish Woodchuck (Todd Fernald), who seems rather secretive and keeps dropping a gun from his pocket. Also traveling aboard ship are the hot and spicy Cheerio (Sarah Shanahan), a lively lounge singer who seems to be a lot less Jamaican when no one’s looking; elegant Hoprah Windfall (Denise McDonough), who actually owns the Ho (and plenty of other things) and is such a bitch on wheels it seems that anyone would have a motive to kill her—especially her shifty second husband Studman (Stewart Brown). And then there’s the doofy Captain Dumas, pronounced Dumb Ass, he’ll insist on telling you (played by David Durham), who isn’t sharp enough to keep track of anything aboard his ship. Only “Doc” is missing… and no one seems to know where he went.

From there, they take us around the Rochester Ho, stopping first at the boiler room. Jules is desperately trying to hide something that looks like flour and is infuriated to find that it’s actually, well, flour. She berates Woodchuck for the mixup; it turns out they’re escaped convicts on the run, and Hoprah is onto them. A few meatballs and a hilarious spoof of “I Will Survive” later, and we’re on our way to the bar. Saucy Ike gives us some Seafoam punch, and we listen in while he and Studman discuss the possibility of Ike putting Hoprah on ice—permanently.

In a room upstairs, Cheerio gives us some chicken kabobs and champagne, and we discover Nikki is primping to meet her new lover, who writes her such poetry as: “Love, exciting and new… come aboard, we’re expecting you.” We also learn that Cheerio is only after the valuable necklace around Hoprah’s neck, and she’ll stop at nothing to get it.

In the kitchen, the Captain is making a cake with flour that has certainly got him in a good mood, and it seems to make his gums itch, too. It’s here that the Captain, Cyrus and Zelda find the dead body of the missing Doc, dressed in full Hoprah drag, in the freezer.

From then on it’s upstairs to an ambrosial steak and fish dinner with mashed potatoes and greens. During our dinner, Hoprah finally gets it, and we get our chance to figure out whodunit.

During dessert, the uproarious musical finale presents us with both the killer of Doc and Hoprah, all over a damn fine Captain Morgan Lemon Curd Truffle.

The team of Anthony Ejarque, Robb Ross, Todd Fernaled, and Mike Morris have, for the eleventh time, created an evening that you will absolutely not forget. Especially if you partake of Ike’s punch.

The Mystery of the Love Boat
The Governor’s Inn, 78 Wakefield St., Rochester
through March 18, Fridays and Saturdays at 6:30 p.m., $59 and $49, tax and tip included
603-332-0107
www.governorsinn.com