Climb Aboard Agatha Christie's MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS At The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (The Rep) - the leading regional performing arts theatre in the Midwest - closes out their 2022-2023 Mainstage season with the highly anticipated classic mystery, Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express. Climb aboard with the masterful Belgian detective Hercule Poirot in this classic whodunnit that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats until its shocking conclusion. Performances begin on March 17 and run through April 9 at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the campus of Webster University.

The beloved classic will be brought to life by Director Hana S. Sharif, the Augustin Family Artistic Director at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. Sharif's inspiration for the direction of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express draws influence from the legendary filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock. "Audiences will be entrenched in a world of mystery from the moment they take their seats," said Sharif. "As a lifelong admirer of the film noir genre - particularly the work of Hitchcock - I have worked closely with my immensely talented team of designers to embed hints of this classic aesthetic in our production of Ken Ludwig's fantastically thrilling and entertaining adaptation."

Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express begins just after midnight in 1934, when an unexpected snowstorm stops the luxurious Orient Express sleeper train in its tracks. After a wealthy American businessman is discovered dead, the brilliant and beautifully mustachioed Hercule Poirot must solve the mystery before the murderer strikes again. Agatha Christie's plot-twisting masterpiece takes audiences on a suspenseful thrill ride that Broadway World calls, "Everything you could want - broadly drawn characters, exotic settings and a spectacular murder."

"With this production of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, we are truly embracing the beauty and elegance of the time period," said Sharif. "The sweeping romance of the 1930s will be brought to life through the masterful work of our world class designers."

Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express features a talented cast of 15. The role of Detective Hercule Poirot will be played by Armando Durán, a member of The Acting Company at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for over twenty years. The role of Helen Hubbard will be played by Ellen Harvey, whose Broadway credits include Present Laughter, How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Phantom of the Opera. The role of Countess Andrenyi will be played by Janie Brookshire, who Rep audiences may remember from Angel Street. The role of Princess Dragomiroff will be played by Gayton Scott, whose Broadway credits include Gypsy and The Women. The roles of Michel the Conductor and Head Waiter will be played by Michael Tranh Tran, a St. Louis native that audiences may remember from The Rep's production of Pride & Prejudice. The role of Colonel Arbuthnot will be played by Christopher Hickey, who Rep audiences will recognize from Macbeth and The Comedy of Errors. The role of Monsieur Bouc will be played by Jamil A.C. Mangan, making his Rep debut after memorable roles on screen in Blue Bloods, Quantico and Gotham. The role of Hector Maqueen will be played by Cameron Jamaar Davis, a St. Louis native that audiences may recognize from his work acting and directing at the St. Louis Shakespeare Festival. The role of Mary Debenham will be played by Margaret Ivey, who audiences may recognize from on screen roles in The Blacklist, Madam Secretary and Prodigal Son. The role of Greta Ohlsson will be played by Fatima Wardak, making her Rep debut after several performances at the Seattle Repertory Theatre. The role of Samuel Ratchet will be played by Joel Moses, a St. Louis native who has performed at West End Players, St. Louis Actors' Studio and New Jewish Theatre. Luka Cruz, Kyleigh Grimsbo, Aria Maholchic, and Colby Willis - students in the Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts - complete the ensemble as part of The Rep's long-standing collaboration with Webster University.

The creative team for Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express includes Set Designer Tim Mackabee, Costume Designer Fabio Toblini, Lighting Designer Jason Lynch, Sound Designer & Composer's Charles Coes and Nathan A. Roberts, Projection Designer Michael Salvatore Commendatore, Dialect Coach Joshua David Robinson, with Casting by JZ Casting.

Agatha Christie is a best-selling author whose books have sold over one billion copies in English with another billion translated into a number of foreign languages. Her 66 detective novels and myriad of short story collections and plays have earned her the moniker of the Queen of Crime. Christie published Murder on the Orient Express in 1934, and her estate commissioned this stage adaptation by Ken Ludwig, which debuted in 2017.

The Rep is pleased to offer several special offerings and accessible performances throughout the run of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express. These include:

Post Show Talkbacks, March 30, 2 p.m. & April 5, 2 p.m. - Following the performance, members of the cast and creative team will join the audience for a moderated, casual discussion where audience members will have the opportunity to ask questions of the artists who created the show.

Club Rep Night, March 30 - Club Rep nights offer young professionals in the St. Louis area, an exciting evening of pre-show food, drinks, networking followed by a world-class performance at The Rep. Club Rep tickets (which include food and drink) are $25 with promo code CLUBREPNIGHT.

Audio Described Performance, April 6, 8 p.m. - The Rep has partnered with MindsEye to offer live audio description for the final Thursday performance of every production.

American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreted, April 8, 2 p.m. - An ASL-interpreted performance will be offered on the final Saturday matinee of every production. Interpreters will be stationed inside the theater and will sign along with what the actors are performing onstage for the audience.

Open-Captioned Performance, April 9, 2 p.m. - The Rep offers open captioning, an electronic text ticker that displays the words being spoken or sung onstage, at the final Sunday matinee for all Mainstage productions.

Tickets for Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express are on sale now at www.repstl.org or by calling 314-968-4925. Ticket prices start at $23. Prices are subject to change; please refer to The Rep website for current pricing.

Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.

The Rep is the St. Louis region's most honored live professional theatre company. Founded in 1966, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is a fully professional theatrical operation belonging to the League of Resident Theatres, The League of St. Louis Theatres and is a constituent member of Theatre Communications Group, Inc., the national service organization for the not-for-profit professional theatre.

 

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