Rehearsals have begun for Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, on stage March 6 through 15. This 'classic whodunit' takes audiences on a fast paced thrill ride with a train full of suspects, and each one with an alibi! There are twists and turns aplenty in this intrigue-filled story, newly adapted for the stage from Agatha Christie's masterpiece by two-time Tony-nominated playwright Ken Ludwig. This unforgettable mystery takes audiences on a thrilling ride - Just after midnight, a snowdrift stops the Orient Express in its tracks. The luxurious train is surprisingly full for the time of the year, but by the morning it is one passenger fewer. An American tycoon lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside. Isolated and with a killer in their midst, detective Hercule Poirot must identify the murderer - in case he or she decides to strike again.
The cast will be led by Steve Brady as Poirot. Steve has been seen on stage in countless Gateway Productions including Beauty and the Beast, Anything Goes, A Christmas Carol and Rock of Ages to name a few. He's appeared on Broadway, Inherit the Wind; Off-Broadway in Bill W. and Dr. Bob at Soho Playhouse; Poor Beast in the Rain at Irish Arts, The Power of Darkness at The Mint; A Dangerous Personality at Perry Street. He has toured nationally in The Exonerated, internationally in West Side Story and A Christmas Carol, and worked extensively in regional theatre including Cincinnati Playhouse, Rep Theatre of St Louis, Baltimore Center Stage, Syracuse Stage, Shakespeare Theatre DC, and many others.
Rosemary Loar will play Princess Dragomirroff. Ms. Loar's Broadway credits include the original casts of Sunset Boulevard, (starring
Glenn Close) and Chess, the iconic revival production of You Can't Take It With You, (starring
Jason Robards), Cats, (critically acclaimed as Grizabella), Once Upon A Mattress, (starring
Sarah Jessica Parker/understudy to Queen Aggravain), Encores (at Radio City) and 42nd Street (understudy Dorothy Brock). Off- Broadway in Radio Gals - she originated the role of Gladys Fritts (a quirky flapper with a penchant for poetry, operatic singing) and was the winner of The Phoebe Award for Best Actress in a Musical in her portrayal of Ivy in Fair and Tender Ladies. She has released four albums and has countless cabaret and solo appearances around the country.
Monsieur Bouc will be played by
David Engel whose Broadway credits include Putting it Together, Seussical, and original La Cage aux Folles. He created the role of Smudge in the original New York production of Forever Plaid, Plaid Tidings and Forever Plaid: The Movie. Other credits include starring roles in Crazy for You, The Music Man, The Addams Family, Chicago, and Mamma Mia! Mr. Engel also shared an on-screen romance with RuPaul in the award winning musical short film Zombie Prom.
Annie Edgerton returns to The Gateway to portray Helen Gubbard after recently appearing as Emily in Elf the Musical. Her Broadway/ National Tour credits include Kinky Boots, and Mamma Mia! Regional credits include Good People, Rosemary in Outside Mullingar; Violet in 9 to 5, Adriana in The Comedy of Errors, Mme. Thenardier in Les Miserables, and Paulette in Legally Blonde. Annabelle Rollinson plays Countess Andrenyi after recently starring as Rosalind in The Gateway's As You Like It. She has spent the last several seasons at the American Shakespeare Center in Virginia where she played over 50 roles including Kate in Taming of the Shrew, Paulina in the Winter's Tale, and Dromio of Syracuse in Comedy of Errors. Hector MacQueen will be played by Brian C. Veith whose extensive Gateway credits include Kinky Boots, The Sound of Music, Beauty and the Beast, My Fair Lady, Sweeney Todd, Follies and Sunset Boulevard. Colonel Arbuthnot will be played by Gregory Jon Phelps who returns to The Gateway after recently appearing as Touchstone in As You Like It. His NYC credits include All's Well That Ends Well, Secret in the Wings, and I Love My Wife. Regional credits include
Woody Guthrie's American Song, Oklahoma!, Return to the Forbidden Planet, and over 80 productions with American Shakespeare Center. Emily Brockaway joins the cast in her Gateway Debut as Mary Debenham. Ms Brockaway has portrayed Mary Poppins in the title role at
Syracuse Stage and Potsdam Music Theater,
Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady at
Opera North and Nimue in Camelot to name a few. Gateway veteran Matt Karris will play Michel/Head Waiter. As a director, Mr. Karris has been at the helm of such
Gateway Productions as the award winning RENT, Jesus Christ Superstar, and more than 20 Children's Theater musical productions, many of which he wrote himself. As a performer, Matt has toured nationally, appeared Off-Broadway and played leading roles at The Gateway such as Berger in HAIR, and Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors to name a few.
Briana Gantsweg rounds out the cast as Greta Ohlsson in her return to Gateway after appearing in 2019's Kinky Boots. Ms. Gantsweg's additional credits include the National Tours of A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, and A Christmas Story: The Musical. Regional credits include Born Yesterday at Cortland Rep, The Odd Couple at New London Barn Playhouse, Romeo and Juliet at Stairwell Theater, All Shook Up at New London Barn Playhouse, and Rough Crossing at Cortland Rep.
Larry Raben will direct. His previous Gateway credits include Kinky Boots, Cabaret, Mamma Mia!, Nice Work If You Can Get It (IRNE nomination), R & H's Cinderella (with
Peggy Hickey), The Producers, and Sunset Blvd. He directed the world premiere of Tony winner
Joe DiPietro's Falling For Eve Off-Broadway at The York Theatre. He won the LA Ovation Award Best Direction for Singin' In The Rain. Recent credits include Jersey Boys at
Phoenix Theatre Company, West Side Story at 5- Star, Greater Tuna at Coyote StageWorks, Catch Me If You Can at Musical Theatre West, 7 Brides For 7 Brothers at Music Theater Wichita, Buyer & Cellar at
Laguna Playhouse, Young Frankenstein at SDMT (Craig Noel-nom), Newsies and Titanic at Moonlight, Plaid Tidings at
Walnut Street Theatre, Tru at CSW, The Addams Family, Thoroughly Modern Millie at Performance Riverside, When You Wish-the story of
Walt Disney, Love Makes The World Go Round at
Phoenix Theatre Company, Hairspray, The Wedding Singer, Never Gonna Dance , The Thing About Men at MTW, A Christmas Carol, Meet Me In St. Louis, Always Patsy Cline at The Welk, Sweet Charity in Buenos Aires (Ace nomination). He is the Artistic Director of The Welk Resort Theatre.
Don't miss the show BroadwayWorld called "enthralling!" Tickets are on sale now, starting at $59.
Following Murder on the Orient Express, The Gateway's summer season will begin May 6th with Evita and be followed by Next to Normal, Matilda the Musical, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder and Disney's Newsies. Tickets and flex package pricing available at
TheGateway.org or by calling 631-286-1133.
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