Theater At Monmouth Presents DIAL 'M' FOR MURDER

Theater at Monmouth's 2018 Summer Repertory Season continues with Frederick Knott's classic Dial "M" for Murder. The run starts on Thursday, July 26th, at 7:30 p.m. and continues throughout the season including matinee and evening performances on both weekdays and weekends. This gripping noir thriller, famously brought to the big screen by Alfred Hitchcock, transforms the 'whodunnit' into the 'will they get away with it?' Is it possible to commit the perfect crime, or does justice always prevail?

Money. Marriage. Murder. A retired tennis pro plots the murder of his unfaithful wife-but when she turns the tables on her attempted assailant, she is convicted of murder. Can the police detective who brought her to trial now decipher the clues that will save her life? The play that inspired Hitchcock's suspense classic weaves an ever-tightening web of danger and deception.

Dial M is not a murder mystery along the lines of an Agatha Christie tale, with a body and a clever detective who figures out how the crime was committed. Sure there's a dead body but the play is more of a psychological thriller, a cat-and-mouse waiting game. We know almost from the beginning that Tony Wendice, a former tennis star, is planning to kill his wealthy wife now that he has been named her heir. The play lets us in on all of his plans but the events are given enough slight twists and sudden hitches to keep the chills and thrills running.

Director Sally Wood approaches this crime story with a slinking, playful touch. In her director's notes she writes, "Being scared out of our minds is an inalienable right of summer, and Frederick Knott has written the perfect play to keep us up at night." And keep you up it will, with its nail-biting suspense and action-packed sequences. Who can you trust? Who's in the wrong? Who's in the right? And while no one wants to see a woman in distress, what a treat to watch a bad ass woman stand her ground and put up a fight.

TAM's ROAR! The Year of the Woman Season continues to present strong women break barrier and strip stereotypes. Margot may be in distress, but she'll be coming to her own rescue, not just relying on any knight in shining armor. By the end of the night, you'll be on the edge of your seat waiting to see how who gets away with murder.

Dial "M" for Murder features Bill Van Horn as Captain Lesgate/ Thompson; Jake Loewenthal as Tony Wendice; Mark S. Cartier as Inspector Hubbard; Kedren Spencer as Margot Wendice; and Marshall Taylor Thurman as Max Halliday. Set design by Meg Anderston, costume design by Sera Bourgeau, lighting design by Jennifer Fok, and sound design by Rew Tippin.

Performance Calendar: OPENING 7/27 at 7:30 p.m.; additional performance dates 7/26, 8/4, 8/7 at 7:30 p.m., 8/8, 8/12, 8/17 at 1:00 p.m., and 8/5 at 7:00 p.m. with a Post-Show discussion.

(Photo credit: from I to r: Jake Lowenthal, Kedren Spencer, Marshall Taylor Thurman. Photo by Aaron Flacke)

Tickets, Subscriptions, and Ways to Save

TAM Season Passes offer up to 25% off the single ticket price and exclusive benefits such as priority seating and free ticket exchanges. Gold, Flex, General, or Senior Passes are available for purchase, so whether you want a ticket for each show or five tickets to one show, there's an option for you. Single tickets for the Summer Repertory and Fall Show are $34 for adults, $29 for senior citizens, and $20 for students (18 and under). Groups of 10 or more can enjoy TAM shows at up to a 22% discount. Groups may also schedule pre or post show discussions with tours of historic Cumston Hall. Contact the Box Office for more information and to book your group's event.

Opening Nights are Educator Nights

Educators receive 20% off the single ticket price with a photo ID at the Box Office.

Under 30 Rush

For patrons under 30, twenty $10 Rush Tickets are accessible at each performance in the season when available. Sign up by contacting the Box Office, either by emailing boxoffice@theateratmonmouth.org or calling 207.933.9999 the morning of the performance. Tickets will be released to the first 20 people on the list twenty minutes before curtain.

For calendar and reservations, please contact the TAM Box Office at 207.933.9999 or visit www.theateratmonmouth.org.