Kansas City Actors Theatre DIAL M FOR MURDER Starts Next Week At The City Stage

Kansas City Actors Theatre will continue their 2024/2025 20th Anniversary Season with Dial M for Murder, adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the original play by Frederick Knott. A new adaptation of the play-turned-movie-turned-play comes to the City Stage in Union Station next week! This modernized murder-mystery stars Elise Poehling, KCAT Company Member Hillary Clemens, and Darren Kennedy, featuring Jen Mays and Bradley J. Thomas, and directed by Katie Gilchrist. This production runs from September 11 to 29 at the City Stage in Union Station. Tickets are on sale now at https://www.kcactors.org/shows/dial-m-for-murder/

A jealous husband spins a dangerous web of suspicion, deception, and murder-that-goes-awry in this psychological thriller that unravels in a way that will have audiences on the edge of their seats. Will Scotland Yard's best detective solve this twisty mystery of forbidden love? You don't want to miss this psychological thriller that is both funny and fraught with suspense. Dial M for Murder is “wonderfully theatrical… the pace is quicker, the dialogue is snappier, and the women are smarter and more complex.” (The Times of San Diego)

Dial M for Murder stars Elise Poehling as Margot Wendice, the independently wealthy wife of Tony and former lover to Maxine. Elise is making her KCAT debut, but has been seen locally at The Unicorn and The Black Box. Hillary Clemens stars as Maxine Hadley, a successful murder-mystery author, Margot's former lover, and Tony's current client. Hillary is a KCAT Company Member previously seen in Little Woman, Spider's Web, A Doll's House, and A Lie of the Mind. Darren Kennedy stars as Tony Wendice, husband to Margot, and failed author who now works in publishing representing Maxine's new novel. Darren returns to the KCAT stage for the first time since 2018's production of Sea Marks. Dial M for Murder is directed by Katie Gilchrist, who is making her KCAT directorial debut but has been seen on stage in KCAT's Three Viewings (also written by Jeffrey Hatcher) and Translations.

Jen Mays plays Inspector Hubbard, the thorough and thoughtful detective from Scotland Yard who is searching for the truth. Jen has previously been seen on KCAT's stage in About Alice and Picnic. Bradley J. Thomas plays Lesgate, Tony's old schoolmate who is being blackmailed by Tony to commit murder. This is Bradley's KCAT stage debut, but can be heard on Kansas City Actors Radio Theatre.

The creative team for Dial M for Murder includes assistant direction by Hunter Nelson (previously served as dramaturg for the world premiere of Four Children), scenic design by Kelli Harrod (KCAT's Little Women and A Doll's House), costume design by Matt Snellgrove (KCAT's Trouble in Mind), lighting design from Zan de Spelder (KCAT's Skeleton Crew and Grand Horizons), sound design from Mark Johnson  (KCAT debut), properties design by Eric Palmquist (KCAT's Gaslight and Little Women), and technical direction by Brad Kanouse (KCAT debut). The production stage manager is Emily White-Winter, with assistant stage management by Kaitlin Nelke.

Tickets for Dial M for Murder start as low as $20 and can be purchased online at https://www.kcactors.org/shows/dial-m-for-murder/ or by phone at (816) 361-5228 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm). Dial M for Murder has one Pay-What-You-Can performance on Monday, September 16th.

To post a comment, you must register and login.