Villa offers ‘Pickle’ of a murder mystery

Review by Joshua Maloni
Lewiston Porter Sentinel, October 23, 2004

Kiss 98.5-FM morning host Nicholas Picholas made his stage debut Thursday at Villa Fortunata’s, and should consider changing his name to “Slick Nick the Pick” after a surprisingly good job portraying a low-life beauty pageant organizer. Picholas, a talented radio entertainer, and one of the nicest media personalities in Western New York, was funny and smooth (in an insidious sort of way) headlining K Murders’ “The Miss Lewiston Beauty Pageant.”

“Phil has one job: To keep Frank’s (Nick’s character) glass full night,” Picholas told Villa owner Inglima as the show began, setting the event’s humorous tone.

Picholas’ supporting cast, Niagara University theater students Jonathan Correa, Katie Swimm, Kristina Tomljanovich, Lia Sumerano, Adrian Barno, Megan Barno and Sam Torcasio, matched his vim and vigor, as they tried to figure out who murdered one of the beauties.

The full house played along with the characters, speaking (sometimes more than they should, but with unlimited wine, what are you going to do?), laughing, and guessing the reasons the pageant, far from “legitimate,” was subject to murder.

As always, the food, which included bread and bean dip, pizza, eggplant parmesan, pasta, salad, chicken rollato (with vegetable) and gelato, was fantastic and the service superb.

Villa and K Murders have more events scheduled for December.