Author Archive | Carla Sinclair-Wells

Labor Day Weekend Great Irish Hooley

By Carla Sinclair-Wells on August 20, 2019 in Holiday Specials

Holiday weekends are great, and during the upcoming Labor Day Weekend, one festival comes to mind – The Great Irish Hooley. Taking place in Disney Springs, the traditional Irish social festival returns to Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant. Beginning Friday, August 30, 2019 through Monday, September 2, there are plenty of Hooley-happenings to enjoy. 2019 marks Raglan Road’s 8th year celebrating this festival (in this venue).

Each evening features some of the best Irish entertainment around. This year’s band lineup is very talented. Some of the highlighted acts are:

Strings & Things
HighTime
Billow Wood
The Rolling Wave
Maca

Experience an authentic line-up of bands featuring a lively mix of traditional Irish, Celt grass, folk, blues and soul. The only boutique Irish music festival in Central Florida, the Great Irish Hooley features shows on the Grand Room and patio stages. Check the event out on Facebook. There is no cover charge!

Consequently, if Irish fare is what you are looking for, you’ll want to check out the dinner, lunch or brunch menu. From traditional dishes to more modern Irish cuisine, there are plenty of choices. You can even find a few gluten-free dishes including the fish ‘n’ chips and onion rings.

Additionally, to help work off the large meal, put on your dancin’ shoes and join the Raglan Road dancers in the ceili (kay-lee) dance. The Rhythms of Raglan Dance Show entertains daily from 4:30 to 7 pm. The Raglan Dancers performing jigs and fast-paced Reels. Those 150-year-old stage boards sure get a workout!

Labor Day Weekend Fun

On the other hand, if an Irish Hooley is not what you are looking for this upcoming Labor Day weekend, the gang at Capone’s Dinner & Show will welcome you like “family.” The dames and mobsters put on a great show. So great, you’ll think you went back in time to 1930 Chicago!

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Come hungry. Mama Capone cooks up a spread like no other Orlando dinner show. It’s fresh. And hot. Plus, it’s fill-your-own-plate and unlimited drinks.

Finally, to all the workin’ stiffs out there…happy Labor Day weekend! Enjoy!

Updated by Admin: Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Professional Wrestling Dinner Theater Remains in the Ring

By Carla Sinclair-Wells on July 5, 2019 in Dinner Show Reviews, Orlando Dinner Shows

This show closed during the pandemic, and as of 2022 has not reopened.

When you think of dinner entertainment for a night out on the town, what comes to mind? Most likely your first thought is not to attend a professional wrestling dinner theater. Yet, six times a year, you can join a sold-out crowd and enjoy such a dinner show.

In 2014 the new Manor Professional Wrestling Dinner Theater was mentioned in an article about new restaurant attractions. While newcomers were welcomed, we also said goodbye to other area dinner shows that closed their doors. Now, 5 years later, the Manor has seemed to have reached a happy platform and is still in the ring.

By limiting the number of shows performed to 6 per year, it is easier to attain a sell-out crowd. The wrestlers also have plenty of time to work on their performance. You see, the storyline at this professional wrestling dinner theater is every bit as important as the physical nature of the performance.

Performances and Storylines

The performance is all about good and evil. Lady Golden Eyes had entertained the village with only the best talent around. Meanwhile, a jealous Lord Darkness had other intentions in mind. He cast a spell upon the Manor and half of the performers turned evil. When both leaders disappear, chaos ensues and it is every warrior for themselves. It’s village vs. village in a contest to see who will win the prized Manor Medallion. Who will you cheer for?

Furthermore, the actual wrestling at the Manor Professional Wrestling Dinner Theater is not “real,” however, the acting is. It takes a great amount of skill to throw a fake punch. Consequently, if you don’t think it hurts to be tossed about a wrestling ring, think again! These actor/wrestlers are very fit performers. Their energy is contagious as well.

Fine Dining (in a sense)

Dinner courses are served throughout the show. The menu consists of tossed green salad, oven roasted chicken, green beans or vegetable medley, mashed potatoes and dinner rolls. Additionally, cheesecake is served for dessert. Beverages include ice tea, lemonade, coffee and water in which you replenish yourself at a beverage station.

Reserve Your Professional Wrestling Dinner Theater Tickets

Consequently, if you are not able to get into the July 19 show, reserve tickets at a future performance. Shows are tentatively set for September 27, November 29 and December 20. Check out their website for next years’ schedule at manorprowrestling.com. You may also send an email requesting reservations, especially if you are looking for a group discount.

Ticket prices start at $37 for kids (4-12 yrs.) & $43 for adults. Take advantage of the ‘couple up’ ticket at a discount of $75, or family of 4 at $145. VIP packages are also available which includes a photo and T-shirt. The cost includes the 2-hour show, three-course dinner, 7 pro wrestling matches, and a meet & greet after the show. Use the dinner show promo code: Manorpro and receive a 20% off discount (ends Jan. 1, 2020).

Finally, the Manor Professional Wrestling Dinner Theater is performed at Osceola Heritage Park, located next to the Silver Spurs Arena at 1875 Silver Spur Lane, Kissimmee, FL 34744. If you go, enjoy the blend of body slams and spandex; dropkicks and dropped jaws. This is sure to be a fun, unusual night out on the town.

If verbal cheap shots and tag teams of ‘trouble boys’ are your thing, why not check out the gang at Capone’s Dinner & Show. They’re open (nearly) every night of the year and offer a great entertainment value. Their cast consists of some hysterical characters whose antics will ‘flair flop’ their way right into your heart. Before your vacation’s three-count, be sure to save a night for Capone’s. It’s one dinner show ring you won’t soon “fa-get-a-bout-it.”

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Updated by Admin: Friday, June 10, 2022

St. Patrick’s Day Dinner Show & a Little Irish Mobster History

By Carla Sinclair-Wells on March 14, 2019 in Capone’s Dinner & Show, Holiday Specials

Everybody knows Capone’s Dinner Show is Italian, right? Well, knowing a little Irish mobster history will help connect this Kissimmee attraction to a delightful St. Patrick’s Day dinner show. Leprechauns, pots of gold and four leaf clovers are not mentioned at this speakeasy, but legends of another type are. One legendary figure is even written into the script!

St. Patrick’s Day Ticket Special

A Little Irish Mobster History

There are no shortages of Irish mobsters in American history. Bootleggers, syndicate bosses and notorious godfathers controlled nearly everything at one time around Chicago, Philadelphia, and Boston. This dates back to the late 1800s. Remember the Great Chicago Fire in 1871? You know the one…

Late one night, when we were all in bed,
Misses O’Leary left a lantern in the shed.
And when the cow kicked it over,
she winked her eye and said,
“It’ll be a hot time in the old town tonight.”
FIRE, FIRE, FIRE!

This children’s song sprang from the infamous James ‘Big Jim’ O’Leary era of Irish mobster history. Seems his parents owned the barn where the famous fire was thought to have started. The arsonist cow was never proven guilty. However, O’Leary proved to be one of the most notorious Irish mobsters of all times. He controlled the gambling on Chicago’s South Side in the 1890s.

The mobsters at Capone’s Dinner Show also do a little ‘gambling’ upstairs in the Four Deuces Lounge. Upgrade to VIP tickets and experience a little of what ‘Big Jim’ controlled. Have a hot time in the old town!

Looney Characters & Mug Shots

Another connection at this St. Patrick’s Day dinner can be found in the second most famous Irish mobster of all times – John Patrick Looney. If you’ve seen the movie “Road to Perdition” starring Paul Newman, this mobster is already familiar to you.

Looney was an attorney who started his own newspaper in Illinois. It was 1905 and there was a lot of money to be made extorting powerful people with the threat of running unflattering stories in the news. After he sold the newspaper business, he turned his attention to gambling, brothels, speakeasies and protecting illicit liquor traffic during the Prohibition era. Like Capone, Looney was eventually sentenced to prison for his crimes.

The St. Patrick’s Day dinner show connection with Looney can be found in a few ways. First, there are a lot of ‘looney’ characters in this show! Secondly, you can make headlines in the newspaper. Press coverage will even include a photo of your gang! It will only cost a small amount of ‘extortion’ money for you to keep a copy for yourself.

Mobsters Meet at this St. Patrick’s Day Dinner Show

The third and fourth most famous Irish mobsters have a direct connection with Al Capone. Dean O’Banion controlled the bootlegging operations in Chicago’s North Side. In the 1931 film “The Public Enemy,” Jimmy Cagney’s character was based on O’Banion. This gang united with the Italian South Side mobsters in their bootlegging operations. This partnership included boss ‘Papa’ Johnny Torrio and his second-in-command, Al Capone. There was a little falling out – if you know your history. Does the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre in 1929 ring a bell?

Lastly, if you’ve attended the St. Patrick’s Day dinner show at Capone’s before, you may recognize the name George ‘Bugs’ Moran. This Irish mobster shared a lifelong rivalry with Al Capone. Their bootleg operations were filled with back-and-forth retaliations during the Prohibition era. ‘Bugs’ was slang for “crazy” and George lived up to his name. He popularized drive-by shootings when he’d drive by Capone’s properties and pepper them with gunfire.

At Capone’s Dinner & Show, Bugs Moran’s character has been written into the script. He is every bit as crazy but in a good, funny way. Of course, Al’s gang doesn’t want anything to do with this Irish mobster. The cast may even warn you about him. Seems he’d like to take over this ‘operation’ as well. The hysterics will leave you in stitches.

Click here to read another story about St. Patrick’s Day at Capone’s Dinner Show.

There are many other Irish mobsters and their history is fascinating. If you’re interested, read about the 13 most famous Irish mobsters. Even without history, what makes a St. Patrick’s Day dinner so special at Capone’s Dinner & Show is YOU! Bring your gang whether you’re Irish or not. Expect to have a good time. Get into the era and let the characters at this speakeasy show you a good time. You might just create a little personal history along the way.

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Updated by Admin: Thursday, March 14, 2019

Al Capone Show at Coney Island Attraction

By Carla Sinclair-Wells on October 26, 2018 in Dinner Show Reviews, Worth the Drive

Coney Island, look out! An Al Capone show is coming to town! During the month of November, a limited number of performances will be held at the world famous Sideshows by the Seashore in Brooklyn. The Education of Al Capone (as if told by Jimmy Durante) is billed as an “Interactive Dirty Dinner Theater About Al Capone.” The limited-time performance will feature a Brechtian Cabaret with a live jazz band, “warm beer and lousy pasta.”

Dick D. Zigun, founder & artistic director of CIUSA since 1980, is the writer and director of this production. The Al Capone show “samples” Jimmy Durante’s songs and routines. The words, however, have been changed to convey the story of a teenaged Al Capone. The age when he earned his nickname Scarface. The remarkable setting is only 3 blocks from the exact spot where Al Capone had the profile-changing knife fight 100 years ago!

Al Capone Show with Plenty of Audience Interaction

As with our Al Capone show in Kissimmee, this production will have plenty of audience interaction. Performers, portraying fellow gangsters/dames Frankie Yale, Clara Bow, Frank & Lena Gallucio will involve spectators. All while they hang out at the “Harvard Inn,” a dive bar and known gangster hangout in the 1918s. Food fights, fist fights, even a few murders take place in the audience. Guests are welcome to get up and dance. Also to drink beer and eat pasta (an additional $5).

If this Al Capone show sounds like a blast from the past, get tickets and go to Coney Island. The performances will take place at Coney Island USA, Sideshows by the Seashore, 1208 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11224. Tickets are available at www.coneyisland.com.

Coney Island USA is an IRS 501(c)(3) not-for-profit arts organization (and a tax-deductible charity) founded in 1980. Their mission is to defend the honor of American popular culture through innovative exhibitions and performances.

If you are unable to go to New York but love the idea of experiencing a Prohibition-era cabaret, visit Al’s gang at Capone’s Dinner & Show right here in the Orlando area. Capone’s is open nearly every night. You will NOT drink warm beer or lousy pasta here. The menu features an extensive selection of fresh food and cold beverages. You WILL be transported back in time when wise guys ruled and dames were delightful.

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Updated by Admin: Wednesday, November 14, 2018

Dinner Show or Orlando Comedy Club?

By Carla Sinclair-Wells on October 17, 2018 in Dining & Nightclubs

Comedy is important in our lives. We all need a good laugh now and then. (Read our earlier post about the importance of laughter.) There are many options when it comes to Orlando comedy clubs. Combined with a good meal, an evening out on the town, and you’ll probably have one of the more memorable evenings of your life. Capone’s Dinner & Show offers a lot of comedy in their show. Side-splitting laughter is quite common. However, if an Orlando comedy club is more what you had in mind, rather than a dinner theater, here are some suggestions.

Orlando Comedy Club Recommendations:

The Improv located on International Drive is very popular with tourists, because of its location having I-Ride Trolley stops (24 north/green 12 south). This Orlando comedy club features a lot of big-name entertainers. It has been a career launching pad for dozens of local comedians. The shows run primarily on the weekends with a few events mixed in on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Many, if not all of their shows are for people over 21 years of age. The menu at the Improv features appetizers, salads, sandwiches, entrees, desserts and beverages (including a full bar). Keep in mind that 18% gratuity is added to every check. Groups can book events at The Orlando Improv.

Bonkerz Comedy Clubs are located throughout the United States. Central Florida is lucky enough to have several locations! Located in East Orlando, Altamonte Springs, Daytona, Oviedo and Deltona, the opportunity to have a hilarious dinner & show won’t be far away. Most tourists seek out the East Orlando comedy club on Colonial Drive. This location is known as the Boardwalk Bowl Entertainment Center. Shows are featured every Friday and Saturday night with a cover charge at $10 (usually). Here again, only adults 21 & over are allowed. Their menu consists of appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, pizza and salads with prices from $6 to $17. A full liquor bar is available. Other events, such as corporate events, bachelor parties, retirements, and girls night out can be held at any of the Bonkerz locations.

Comedy for Families

SAK Comedy Lab is another great place to experience comedy. Of all the comedy clubs in Orlando, this one is least like a dinner show. Their venue is set up theater style with a concession stand for refreshments. The venue is a 200-seat theater located upstairs in downtown Orlando. Shows are held on Tuesday through Saturday nights and are suitable for all ages. Ticket prices run from $5 for some shows to $15 general admission for their popular weekend shows. Furthermore, if you really love improv comedy, you can take classes at SAK. Additionally, you may hire a comedian for your team-building event, or even have a local comedian emcee/host your event.

Traveling to LA? Check out this informative list of the 6 most hilarious LA Comedy Clubs.

Create Your Own Dinner & Comedy Experience

Worth Noting: If you are looking more for an Orlando dinner show, yet want to experience the Improv, see the show, then walk to any number of restaurants nearby to dine. Next door is Fat Fish Blue, featuring a menu of Louisiana-Smokehouse cuisine and traditional American favorites. Even more, there are many other restaurants within walking distance worth noting. They are Adobe Gila’s, ~~Itta Bena~~, Taverna Opa Orlando, Copper Canyon Grill, Marlow’s Tavern and Maggiano’s Little Italy.

While not considered dinner shows, the preceding Orlando comedy clubs combine comedy with dinner options and plenty of laughter. Other places where comedians often perform are at the House of Blues and Hard Rock Orlando. Most locals and tourists still prefer an Orlando dinner show over a comedy club visit. Usually, the food is better, and the entire family can attend.

You can also find laughs in abundance at most Orlando dinner shows. Read this best list of all Orlando Dinner Shows and pick one. That is, of course, if you are not looking to spend an evening at a comedy club. If a late-night or adult-only show is what you’d like to experience, any of these comedy clubs will be great for you.

Best Orlando Dinner Show Option with Plenty of Comedy

Consequently, Capone’s Dinner & Show has one of the funniest improv segments in town. The wise guys and gals are spot on when dealing with guests. Use the coupon or buy your tickets online. You’ll pay half price! About the same cost as a comedy club/dinner-out combo.

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Now get a smile on your face, giggle between bites and even more, add some comedy in your life!

Updated by Admin: Friday, February 25, 2022

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