Murder on the Orient Express & Glass Menagerie

Murder On the Orient Express (Play - Mainstage, Kizzie)

By: Agatha Christie

Adapted for the stage by: Ken Ludwig

When a snowdrift stops the luxurious Orient Express in its tracks, a shocking murder is discovered onboard. World-famous detective Hercule Poirot must question a train full of intriguing passengers, each with secrets to hide. As the evidence mounts, Poirot races to solve the case before the killer strikes again. Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express is a gripping whodunit filled with suspense, clever twists, and unforgettable characters.

Content/Intimacy Notice

Murder On the Orient Express is a murder mystery which contains murder, stage weapons, guns and gunshots, discussion of kidnapping, references to suicide, minimal strong language, and violence:

• Injury and death caused by gunshots and stabbing

Some intimate moments may include: 

• romantic/non-violent male and female kissing, 
• romantic/non-violent male and female physical contact
• non-romantic/non-violent male to male physical contact 
• non-romantic/non-violent male and female physical contact 
• non-romantic/non-violent female to female physical contact 

Consent-forward intimacy staging will be part of any rehearsal involving these scenes.  If you have concerns you would like to discuss, contact Cole at [email protected].  Concerns or limitations with any of the above material will not affect your consideration for the roles.

Characters

HERCULE POIROT – (Male, 40s-60s) Famous Belgian detective; a “Big” personality; authoritative, witty, charismatic and slightly pompous; driven to find the answers, good or bad, with a strong moral sense; very aware of his ability and his well- deserved reputation.

MONSIEUR BOUC – (Male, 30s-60s) A Belgian gentleman of good humor; playful, proud, generous; a predilection for grandeur; a whirlwind of energy; must be an excellent comedian.

MARY DEBENHAM – (Female, 20s-30s) An English beauty; a governess, capable yet romantic; a sadness around her eyes and a hardness about her person.

HECTOR MACQUEEN – (Male, 20s-50s) Tightly wound, edgy and nervous; he seems to always be on the verge of falling apart or coming unwound.  Assistant to Samuel Ratchett.

PRINCESS DRAGOMIROFF – (Female, 40s-70s) A Russian dowager; very formal, a sweeping, impressive presence; imperial, impatient.  Everyone knows when she enters the room.  More battle axe than princess.

GRETA OHLSSON – (Female, 20s-60s) Inherently odd, and very devout Swedish woman; a frightened, sheeplike quality; must be an excellent comedienne with an impeccable Swedish accent.

COUNTESS ANDRENYI (Female, 30s-50s) Brilliantly beautiful, like something out of a fairytale; impeccably put together, with a warmth that wins over everyone she meets; her delicacy belies a steely edge; she is no wilting flower

HELEN HUBBARD – (Female, 40s-70s) An outspoken and flamboyant American from the Midwest; jovial, obnoxious, domineering, deliciously nosy and brash; unapologetic; must be an excellent comedienne. Also sings.  Please familiarize yourself with the song “Alexander’s Ragtime Band”.

COLONEL ARBUTHNOT – (Male, 30s-40s) One actor will play two roles. Colonel Arbuthnot: Scotsman, also middle aged, handsome, very matter of fact, occasionally tender; must have great comic timing.

SAMUEL RATCHETT – (Male, 30s-40s) Samuel Ratchett: middle-aged American businessman, evil at heart and frightening, brusque, unforgiving, stern demeanor; pushy, and domineering.
MARCEL THE HEAD WAITER – (Male, 20s-50s) A Turkish waiter, snooty, smooth; must have great comic timing.  (Accent is a plus but not a deal breaker.)

MICHEL THE CONDUCTOR – (Male, 20s-50s) A good-looking Frenchman, with a quiet, almost grave sense of humor; unfailingly polite.

Director: Phillip Fazio
Stage Manager: Esther Snyder

The Glass Menagerie (Play - Blackbox, Price)

By: Tennessee Williams

Seen through the lens of memory, The Glass Menagerie captures a family clinging to hope in a world that offers little mercy. Tennessee Williams’s deeply personal masterpiece follows the Wingfield family as they navigate love, obligation, and longing. Amanda Wingfield lives in memories of her past, Laura retreats into her delicate glass collection, and Tom yearns for a life beyond the fire escape. Rich with symbolism and emotional depth, The Glass Menagerie is a timeless American classic that explores the fragile beauty of dreams—and how easily they can shatter.

Content/Intimacy Notice

The Glass Menagerie includes ableist and racist language reflective of its historical setting.  There is also depiction of or referencing alcohol consumption, intoxication, and cigarette smoking.  It also contains themes of abandonment, mental health and disability, cultural attitudes from the 1930s, and family tension.

Some intimate moments may include: 

• romantic/non-violent male and female kissing, 
• romantic/non-violent male and female physical contact
• non-romantic/non-violent male and female physical contact  
• non-romantic/non-violent female to female physical contact  

Consent-forward intimacy staging will be part of any rehearsal involving these scenes.  If you have concerns you would like to discuss, contact Cole at [email protected].  Concerns or limitations with any of the above material will not affect your consideration for the roles.

Character

AMANDA WINGFIELD – (Female, 50s-70s) The mother. A little woman of great but confused vitality, clinging frantically to another time and place. Her characterization must be carefully created, not copied from type. She is not paranoiac, but her life is paranoia. There is much to admire in Amanda, and as much to love and pity as there is to laugh at. Certainly, she has endurance and a kind of heroism, and though her foolishness makes her unwittingly cruel at times, there is tenderness in her fragility.

LAURA WINGFIELD – (20s-30s) The daughter. Amanda, having failed to establish contact with reality, continues to live vitally in her illusions, but Laura’s situation is even graver. A childhood illness has left one leg slightly shorter than the other. Stemming from this, Laura’s separation increases till she is like a piece of her own glass collection, too exquisitely fragile to move from the shelf.

TOM WINGFIELD – (20s-40s) The son and the narrator of the play. A poet with a job in a warehouse. His nature is not remorseless, but to escape from a trap he has to act without pity.

JIM O’CONNOR – (20s-30s) The gentleman caller. A nice, ordinary, young man.

Director: Bryce Alexander

Stage Manager: TBD