The Elbert Theatre and Encore Productions are prepared to take their audience on a journey across Europe to solve a murder-mystery as their second production of the 2023 season, “Murder on the Orient Express,” debuts June 9.
The play, based on the Agatha Christie book, is directed by Bob Larson and set aboard a luxurious long-distance passenger train – the Orient Express – filled with passengers from around the world.
Christie’s esteemed detective Hercule Poirot, played by Michael Weis, has just arrived in Istanbul, Turkey when he receives a message beckoning him to return to London, England. Poirot finds a seat aboard the Orient Express with the help of a friend and the journey begins.
During the trek from Istanbul to London, the train is halted by a snowdrift and the following morning, American business tycoon Samuel Ratchett, played by Robert Roach, is found murdered in his train compartment.
“There’s 11 characters and eight of them are suspects – a couple from America, one from Sweden, one from Hungary, one from Russia – an international list of characters,” Larson said. “So Bouc [played by Philip Hiott] calls upon Poirot to solve the case before the Hungarian police get there so that they can hand them a solved case.”
Other cast members include Bill Jenkins as Michel, the train conductor, and hotel waiter, Cindy Barrow as Helen Hubbard, Jake Triplett as Hector MacQueen, Jennifer White as Princess Dragomiroff, Toni King as Countess Andrenyi, Tracy Bennett as Greta Ohlsson, Elaine Hall as Mary Debenham and Pat Bell as Colonel Arbuthnot. The voices of Hannah and Savannah Jenkins will also be used for voiceover material.
“This has been a fantastic cast. They’re all doing great, every one of them. They have completely blown me away,” Larson said. “For them it’s been a fun show to do and that is always a good thing. They gel, they get along well and it helps them develop their characters.”
The set, which was constructed by master carpenter Pat Bell, transports the audience to a variety of scenes including the dining room of a luxurious hotel and a train station in Istanbul that includes a massive mural of the exterior and interior of the different cars aboard the prestigious Orient Express.
Larson said it is the theater’s first electrified set, including fully functional light fixtures and indirect lighting to set the ambiance, similar to what audiences would see in the corridors of a passenger train.
“He has done a fantastic job of building the set. It’s another Pat Bell masterpiece,” Larson said smiling. “Pat kind of had Carte Blanche on this one to do what he wanted and he got a little carried away – in a good way because it’s a fantastic set – but it’s also taken a lot of time to get all of the pieces together and get everything done.”
Larson said construction on the set started May 1, which was the day after “Hello Dolly,” Encore Production’s last show, was finished, and the crew was finishing up some of the smaller details as of May 30.
Assisting Larson behind the scenes is stage manager David Bennett, stagehands Marie Glenn and Rebekah Brooks, lighting technician Gail Larson, assistant lighting technician Julie Williams, sound technician Bruce Herring and construction crew member Ken Little.
“You really need to go through the show twice, once just to watch it and then the second time to go ‘Oh yeah that’s a clue,’” Larson said. “I just think it’s a good show. Lots of folks around here come here and expect a good quality show and I think they’re going to get one. When they come they’re going to see a very polished performance which I think they will appreciate.”
Performances will be held Friday, June 9 through Sunday, June 11 and Friday, June 16 through Sunday, June 18. Start times are 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays.
Tickets are $11 in advance, $9 for students and $16 at the door. Advance tickets are available inside The Elbert Theatre box office located in City Hall at 203 Elbert St., by calling 706-283-1049, by emailing tking@cityofelberton.net or online at bigtickets.com/events/elbert-theatre .