WILTON, Iowa — It was intended to be a celebration.

But the party that the actors and actresses from the Wilton Fine Arts Guild plan to attend becomes a confusing and often frustrating situation because the host is a dead man.

The Guild will present Neil Simon’s comedy “Rumors,” at their annual dinner theater production March 13, 14, 15, 20 and 21.

Neil Simon is one of the world’s most successful playwrights and writers, penning numerous hit plays and movies.

Before the play begins, the audience is served dinner by the Wilton-based song and dance troupe, the HiLiters.

The waiters and waitresses double as entertainers presenting a variety of Broadway hits of the award-winning composing team of Rodgers and Hamerstein. Selections include, “Shall We Dance,” from the musical “The KIng and I,” “Edelweiss,” from “The Sound of Music,” and “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning from the musical “Oklahoma.”

The Guild’s play begins as four couples meet to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Charley, the deputy New York City mayor and his wife, Myra.

As they arrive at the couple’s home, the guests have yet to learn the deputy  mayor has been shot in the head and his wife isn’t there.

By the time police, played by Les MacGowan of West Liberty and James Huston of Wilton, arrive on the scene, the situation has become so complicated, even they can’t sort it out.

Charley’s attorney, Ken Gorman, played by Steve Slater of Muscatine, and his wife, Chris, played by Brenda Bowman, Wilton, arrive first and find a dead  Charley bleeding from a gunshot wound.

Bowman’s role is that of a nicotine-craving character who decides she couldn’t have picked a worse time to quit smoking.

Gary Bruns of Wilton plays financial planner manager Lenny Ganz, who arrives with his anxious wife, Claire, played by Lori Petersen of Wilton.

The couple have survived a disturbing fender bender on the way to the party and the Gormans do their best to put the shaken pair at ease and conceal their friend’s death.

Paul Drumm of Wilton, who plays Glenn Cooper, makes his debut on the Wilton stage.

“I’ve always wanted to do this,” said Drumm, 70. “This is my first stab at being in a play since high school.”

Drumm plays  opposite Mary Carpenter of Wilton, who is cast as his jealous wife, Cassie Cooper.

“The role of Glenn fits me,” said Drumm. “And Lenny hates me.”

“I hate everybody by the second act,” said Bruns. “Lenny gets upset with a lot of people, and it makes it fun for me.”

“Rumors” marks Bruns’ 18th play with the Guild. “They make the winters go fast,” said Bruns, 50, who teaches school in Maquoketa. “And the Guild turns into your second family.”

Another Guild veteran,  Bryan Goodrum, plays Ernie Cusack, husband of  Rita Dvorak’s Cookie Cusack, a television talk show host with a back spasm.

Rumors marks Goodrum’s 25th Guild production.

“Sometimes I think it would be nice to be in Arizona,” said Goodrum, 65. “But I love to do these plays.”

The play includes adult language and director Carrie Kiser-Wacker said she would rate the type of swear words used at a PG-13 level.

Reservations are required for the dinner and play, and Kiser-Wacker said the Saturday and Sunday performances are sold out. There are still tickets available for the Friday night performances.