MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS Runs January 18 through January 28 at the Springer Opera Theatre

A sinister crime will be committed onstage at the Springer this month. The suspects: Nine individuals of varying wealth, nationalities, backgrounds,  - and motives to commit murder. The plot: The lifeless body of a possibly corrupt American is discovered in a compartment locked from the inside that demands explanations for  "how" in addition to "why."

The setting: The Orient Express, a luxury passenger train with a well-appointed dining car, eloquent private rooms, and exquisite art deco decor. It is up to internationally renowned detective and investigator Hercule Poirot to solve the mystery and stop the killer before another murder occurs. Take a seat and settle in for a shocking ride! The Springer Theatre kicks off the second half of its "Killer" 2023-24 season on January 18 at 7:30 p.m. with “Murder on the Orient Express.”  

Set in 1934, this adaptation of Agatha Christie's tale of murder most foul is told from the perspective of the infamous detective Hercule Poirot. As he interrogates the suspects, the action (and the killer!) moves throughout various locations aboard the train. The novel was adapted for film first in 1974 and most recently in 2017, the same year as the first stage performance. In the Springer's production, as the killer seeks to cover up incriminating evidence, various elements of the set and potential clues remain visible to the audience. This meticulous attention to detail in the stage design sets the Springer's production apart. Textures, treatments, and materials create a sense of "blurred lines" that redirect the audience's focus to character movement and plot action that occur simultaneously. Significant due to what the suspects actually remember and the ambiguous details they provide to Poirot as they seek to appear innocent.  

According to Production Director Matthew Swindell, who devised the design concept with the audience in mind, memory is often unreliable. "With the scenic design for this show, I imagined and expanded on what impact entrapment might have on memory and recall," he said. "We have to be aware that the characters find themselves trapped on a train, so we've developed a set highlighting space that takes over the stage and doesn't allow escape."  

Springer Artistic Director Keith McCoy, who directed the play, agrees. "One of the biggest challenges for the Springer is constructing our sets from the ground up. For every production, we try to raise the bar a little more," McCoy said. "With the set for 'Murder on the Orient Express' we meet that bar. The audience sees several aspects of the action in different locations of the same train in real time. As the plot unfolds, the set becomes a part of the plot twists that drive the action through hidden corners, hiding suspects and secrets." 

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