Albany Civic Theater – Albany, OR

Albany Civic Theater • Albany, OR

Now in our 74th season

Murder on the Orient Express

by Agatha Christie

Directed by: Josh Mitchell

Audition Dates: Aug. 22, 23, 24, 2022

Performances: Oct. 28, 29, Nov. 3, 4, 5, 6(m), 10, 11, 12, 2022

Famous detective Hercule Poirot is called back from Istanbul to London on urgent business. He intends to book a first-class compartment on the Orient Express, run by his former friend and colleague, Monsieur Bouc. The train is surprisingly full, but Bouc manages to secure Poirot a spot in the first-class cabin. While aboard the Orient Express, Poirot meets a host of peculiar characters: an aging Russian princess, her Swedish companion, a Hungarian countess, a Minnesota housewife, a Scottish colonel, an English governess, a French conductor, a disagreeable American businessman, and his anxious secretary. While aboard the train, the angry businessman, Samuel Ratchett, corners Poirot and demands Poirot to investigate a series of ominous letters that have been sent to Ratchett, threatening his life.

As a snowdrift halts the Orient Express in its tracks, Ratchett is found stabbed multiple times in his locked train compartment. Poirot is tasked by Monsieur Bouc to solve the murder, as the killer could still be in their midst. As Poirot investigates, conflicting clues and convoluted alibis lead him to dead ends. Over the course of 48 hours, will Poirot be able to solve the case of the Murder on the Orient Express?

Director

Josh Mitchell appeared in ACT’s All Together Now! as a vocalist,
Christmas Carol as Christmas Future and Fred, Too
Good to Say Goodbye as Dutch Van Dyke, The Three
Musketeers as Porthos, Shrek as Fourth Knight and Mad
Hatter, The Wizard of Oz in several roles, Avenue Q as
Trekkie Monster and the Newcomer, It’s a Wonderful
Life as George Bailey and The Adventures of Tom
Sawyer as Injun Joe. A real estate broker and toy store operator, he lives in Albany with his wife Holly and sons Quentin, Hudson, and Lincoln. He enjoys music, art, cooking, home remodeling, and playing Ultimate Frisbee.

Director’s email: joshmitchell.srr@gmail.com

Cast of Characters

Hercule Poirot: David Milner
Monsieur Bouc: Josh Anderson
Mary Debenham: Megan Forsyth
Hector MacQueen: Nic Anunsen
Countess Andrenyi:
Diane Slamp
Princess Dragomiroff:
Diane Cooper
Michel the Conductor: Jonathan McQuay
Greta Ohlsson: Lucy Elgin
Helen Hubbard: Christine Hanks
Colonel Arbuthnot: Nathan Greensweight
Samuel Ratchett:
Josh Burlock
Head Waiter: Carly Munson