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A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder
Music and Lyrics by Steven Lutvak
Book and Lyrics by Robert L. Freedman
Directed by Patricia Hoefler
Music Directed by Daniel Reisdorf
When the low-born Monty Navarro finds out that he’s eighth in line for an earldom in the lofty D’Ysquith family, he develops a devious plan to expedite his path to high society… at the great expense of eight of his relatives (all played by the one actor!). Armed with his charm, he attempts to avoid suspicion while caught between feelings for two beautiful women. Based on the Novel by Roy Horniman and the most Tony-nominated show of the 2014 Broadway Season (including a win for Best Musical), this murderous, comedic romp with unforgettable music will leave you begging for more!
Auditions: May 19-20 at 6:45 PM – Callbacks May 21, 2025 at 7:00 PM
(See Info Below)
Director: Patricia Hoefler
Patricia Hoefler has been very active with Aurora Players, having most recently directed Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberly in December 2024. Other director credits for Aurora Players include: Proof in the spring of 2024; Amateurs; The musical, She Loves Me; and Neil Simon’s comedy Barefoot in the Park. She served on the Board of Directors for Aurora Players as its Vice President.
She additionally directed a number of shows in Rhode Island, where she pursued her MFA theater degree in Performance and Society, with a focus on directing and playwriting. The shows she directed included a modernized version of The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Shakespeare), Greater Tuna (Ed Howard, Jaston Williams, and Joe Sears), Fools (Neil Simon), and an abridged version of Death and the Maiden (Ariel Dorfman). She also served as assistant director for The Foreigner (Larry Shue) and A Lie of the Mind (Sam Shepard). As part of her degree, she wrote and workshopped several plays, including Living War and her final project, Do UCare which dealt with the healthcare crisis.
When not involved in theatre, Patricia is an online humanities instructor and sings in the choir for Saint John Vianney Church in Orchard Park.
When not involved in theatre, Patricia is an online humanities instructor and sings in the choir for Saint John Vianney Church in Orchard Park.
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
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.
Chris Biggie
PIERRE MICHEL
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