Grandma's Murder Club-Florence Henderson's Last Movie Is Now A Play

Cultural Park Theatre in Cape Coral starts 2025 with the Florida premiere of “Grandma’s Murder Club.” The comic romp debuts January 24th and runs through February 2, Friday through Sunday. Tickets are $26 and are available online at CulturalParkTheatre.org or through the box office at 239-772-5862.

The play is an authorized adaptation of Florence Henderson’s last film, “Bad Grandmas,” which also featured “Jackie Brown” legend Pam Grier and Judge Reinhold, who made his mark in the “Beverly Hills Cop” and “The Santa Clause” franchises.

In this action comedy, life-long friends Mimi and Coralee save buddy Bobbi from homelessness. In the process, they accidently kill a con man, then his partners show up. The “Grandmas” dodge bad guys and a detective, rescue each other, and solve a murder while one falls head-over-heels in love.

The playwright, Venice's Kathy McSteen says, “The movie features side plots and multiple minor roles. A community theatre has room for only so many people on stage and needs to be fast paced. I cut a lot but added a grandson to tell why and how his grandmother changed. He brings warmth to the story while playing five other characters in the process.”

In The Cultural Park Theatre’s production, actor Max Rousseau stretches his acting muscles with these roles, often transforming on stage from lovable to laughable to loathable. “I can’t wait for an audience to enjoy watching Max have as much fun playing these folks as I had creating them,” McSteen adds.

Whitney Taylor, Eileen Haas-Linde, and Donna Richman play the spunky grandmothers. Will House chases them as the new, dedicated detective in town while John Strealy plays double-duty as a white and a blue-collar criminal, all under the direction of Robin Murray, Cultural Park Theatre’s Executive Director.

Patrons are advised the play includes seniors self-medicating anxiety with herbal concoctions, belly-dancing, flirting, and hoodwinking the law. Director Murray adds, “The audience should know there are loud gunshot sound effects and simulated murders but no men are actually harmed during ‘Grandma’s Murder Club’ even though they deserve it. Expect laughter and maybe even some cheers when they bite the dust.”

Opening night on January 24th features a mini-red carpet experience for patrons with “paparazzi” and photo ops and meet and greet with the playwright as well as the cast.