MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS Comes to the Conejo Players Theatre

Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express will come to the Conejo Players Theatre in Thousand Oaks, CA. Performances run August 8, 2025 to August 30, 2025.

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 eight times, his door locked from the inside. Isolated and with a killer in their midst, the passengers rely on detective Hercule Poirot to identify the murderer – in case he or she decides to strike again.

“Ken Ludwig’s adaptation captures the spirit of Agatha Christie’s iconic novel and adds razor-sharp dialogue, bold characters, and a theatrical flair that makes the stage sparkle” director Alan Waserman shares, “At its core, the play asks us to consider the nature of justice, the limits of the law, and the weight of human loss. All wrapped in a thoroughly thrilling and enjoyable evening at the theatre.”

The actual express, a center piece of the show, is a character of its own. Designed by Rick Steinberg, CPT’s train moves with the action, rotating and setting the scene. It brings the audience along for the ride. Alan continues, “The magic of this production lies not just in its mystery, but also in the set, costumes and larger-than-life characters it brings.”

Ray Mastrovito leads the ensemble cast as the brilliant (& legendary detective) Hercule Poirot. He is joined by familiar Conejo Players faces including Courtney Potter (CPT’s Shrek, Young Frankenstein), Benjamin Mitnick (CPT’s Anastasia), and Brandy Paolini (Conejo Improv Players). Waserman reunites with Scott Quintard and Brenda White, who all just finished the Ventura County premiere run of The Book of WIll together. Also returning to the CPT stage are Jim Miller, Vivien Latham, and Daniel Krause in a You Can't Take It with You reunion. Rounding out the cast are Stephen J Root and Jacquelin Arroyo who make their CPT debut.