Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express

Previous Next

1 2 3 4 5 6

March 13–15, 20–22, & 27–29, 2026

Recipient of six TANYS Adjudication Awards!

Excellence in Direction to Benjamin Davis

Excellence in Scenic Design to Randy West

Excellence in Ensemble Work to the Cast

Excellence in Costume Design to Nancy Johnson

Excellence in Lights/Sound Design to Kevin Kujawa

Meritorious Achievement for Successful Stage Work to the Running Crew

• • • • • • • •

Award Categories

Meritorious Achievement = Some advanced theatrical skill noted

Excellence = Theatrical skill base not routinely noted in non-professional theatre

Outstanding Achievement = Theatrical skill base rarely seen in non-professional theatre

Congratulations to the entire team for this production!

DOWNLOAD SHOW E-PLAYBILL

Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express

Adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig

March 2026 brings murder and mystery with Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. Just after midnight during the winter of 1934, the luxurious Orient Express is stopped in its tracks by a snowdrift. By morning, one of its passengers (an American tycoon) lies dead in his compartment, stabbed eight times, with the door locked from the inside. Isolated and with a killer in their midst, the passengers must rely on detective Hercule Poirot to identify the murderer before he or she strikes again. Full of suspense and intrigue, this iconic mystery promises a captivating ride for audiences.

Auditions: May 19-20 at 6:45 PM – Callbacks May 21, 2025 at 7:00 PM

(See Info Below)

Director: Benjamin Davis

Ben is very excited to make his directorial debut at Aurora Players with Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. Since attending a performance of The Mousetrap with his grandparents when he was nine years old, Ben has been an unwavering Agatha Christie devotee. He is eager to make his own contribution to the myriad adaptations of Dame Agatha’s works. Ben has directed productions, both plays and musicals, for high schools in Buffalo and Rochester, as well as serving as the music director for The Bridges of Madison County, which kicks off the 2025-2026 season for Aurora Players. Ben has been a music teacher in Western New York for 25 years, the past 20 in East Aurora. After a long time away from the theater community, he recently returned to the stage in the role of Captain Arthur Keller in Aurora Players’ production of The Miracle Worker, followed by a turn as the great tenor Tito Morelli—Il Stupendo—in Lend Me a Tenor.

Cast List Announced!

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS

CAST

HERCULE POIROT………………………Joshua Verby
CONSTANTINE BOUC……………………John Kehoe
MARY DEBENHAM………………..Megan Mahaney
HECTOR MACQUEEN…………………Nick Benstead
PIERRE MICHEL / HEAD WAITER………..Chris Biggie
PRINCESS DRAGOMIROFF………………Jessica Rasp
GRETA OHLSSON…………………………Erin Kosich
COUNTESS ANDRENYI…………………Anne Gerace
HELEN HUBBARD……………………….Tara Potzler
COLONEL ARBUTHNOT…………………Zach Wilcox
SAMUEL RATCHETT……………………..Lucas Smith
DAISY ARMSTRONG…………………Emerson Disch

AUDITION FORM

AUDITION INFORMATION SHEET

AUDITION SIDES

YouTube Link for Dialect Tutorials

DETAILS:

Auditions will be held at Aurora Players: Roycroft Pavilion, Hamlin Park, 166 South Grove Street, East Aurora.
The production opens Friday, March 13, 2026 and runs for three weekends through Sunday, March 29. Friday/Saturday shows are at 7:30 PM; Sunday shows, 2:30 PM.
All cast members must be available for first read through on Monday, January 5. Headshots for publicity and the show program will be taken at this time.
Rehearsals begin January 6; please note any dates you are unavailable for rehearsal on the audition form. Other dates that cannot be missed are: February 28th (tech rehearsal) and dress rehearsals from March 9-11.

PREPARATION:

Actors of any race and gender identity are encouraged to audition for any role.
Character ages listed in character descriptions are approximate; any actor may audition for any role.
Sides will be available at the audition and are linked on this page.
The nationalities of the characters are important to the story. Accents are preferred. Suggested reference videos are also linked on this page.

SYNOPSIS:

Just after midnight during the winter of 1934, the luxurious Orient Express train is stopped in its tracks by a snowdrift. In the morning, a passenger is discovered murdered in their bunk–stabbed eight times, and the cabin locked from inside. Isolated, and with a killer in their midst, the unusual assortment of passengers must rely on famed detective Hercule Poirot to identify the killer before they strike again!

CHARACTERS AND DESCRIPTIONS:

Hercule Poirot (40+) – world-famous detective. Eccentric, romantic, appreciative of luxury in life. Often underestimated, but fiercely intelligent and concerned with the moral good. (Belgian)

Constantine Bouc (40+) – friend of Poirot. Accustomed to luxury; owner of the train. (Belgian)

Mary Debenham (25+) – governess; cool and capable. Involved with Arbuthnot (British RP)

Hector MacQueen (25+) – personal secretary to Ratchett. Nervous, put-upon, very competent. (American)

Pierre Michel (40+) – train conductor. Charming and attentive to the passengers, extremely efficient and competent at his job. (French)

Princess Natalya Dragomiroff (50+) – imperious, domineering princess of the old school; exiled after the Bolsheviks took power. (Russian)

Greta Ohlsson (40+) – meek and pious missionary; companion to Dragomiroff. (Swedish)

Countess Elena Andreyni (20+) – medical doctor; commoner who married into the aristocracy and became a countess. (Hungarian)

Helen Hubbard (50+) – brash, uncouth, sardonic middle-aged midwesterner. (American)

Colonel James Arbuthnot (30+) – officer in the British military stationed in India; cliched in the era’s ideal of imperialist masculinity; romantically involved with Debenham. (Scottish)

Samuel Ratchett (35+) – owner of a vaguely defined import-export business. Vulgar, chauvinistic and unpleasant. (American)

Questions? Write to info@auroraplayers.org or leave a message with our box office: 716-687-6727. Aurora Players welcomes all to audition, whether new or seasoned actors.