Players present unique rendition of Agatha Christie’s 'Murder on the Orient Express'

Villagers should mark their calendars in September — as the Tellico Players will soon present their rendition of Agatha Christie’s classic “Murder on the Orient Express” in the coming weeks.

The play takes place in the year 1934 on a train bound from Istanbul to Paris. While on its way, it gets stuck in a snowstorm that forces the train to stop in its tracks. With several prominent figures stuck with nowhere to go a murder suddenly occurs.

The Players bring together a cast of 11 actors and an estimated 30 crew members to bring to life a beloved play in the heart of Tellico Village.

“This is an Agatha Christie story — ‘Murder on the Orient Express,’” Sue Aukerman, the play’s director, told The Connection. “it’s probably one of her most famous plays that she’s written, but — as with all of Agatha Christie’s stories — there’s that unexpected twist.

“This has a really (interesting) twist,” Aukerman said. “So for the story itself, I think there are things the audience may think they know … but.

“The audience may think it knows how the play is going to end, (then again) it may not (end that way).”

One thing that makes the production more intriguing, perhaps, is how playwright Ken Ludwig wrote his piece more as a comedy. Aukerman said that while it’s not slapstick comedy per se, there’s definitely more humor in it than what the original author would have written.

The director indicated things like that will separate the Tellico Players’ presentation from other renditions.

NEW TECHNOLOGY UTILIZED

One thing that makes “Murder on the Orient Express” stand out is the use of new technology to enhance the overall experience.

The Tellico Players’ recently-installed “revolve” will finally be used in a Tellico Village production. Outlined in a detailed article published in The Connection’s Jan. 31 print edition, a revolve is an automatic rotating platform which allows the Players to switch scenery with the push of a button.

“This play has four (distinct) scenes so the revolve is going to be a big part of that,” Aukerman said. “I want to be sure that we don’t stop the flow of the story, and we want to be able to change from one scene to the next.”

The revolve will help transition the left side of the stage from the dining room to the train station.

“Those are the kinds of things that the audience will be seeing for the first time. They’re going to be amazed,” the play’s director stated. “It really makes a huge difference, if you can create a flow in how the story is moving.”

Further technology includes projections displayed as backgrounds and a more strategic use of lighting.

CAST FEATURES ‘MANY PERSONALITIES’

As always, the Tellico Players boast a talented and dynamic cast with veteran and new actors alike.

One of the central and most recognizable characters — Hercule Poirot — is being portrayed by Chuck Hawes. This is only the second show he’s ever done with the Tellico Players.

“I saw this on the playbill last December, and I said to myself, ‘I would love to play the role of Hercule Poirot in that show’ — so I kind of spent three months growing my mustache so I could be in the role,” Hawes said. ”I started practicing on the accent (Poirot is a fictional Belgian detective) … and so it’s kind of been something, this Oklahoma boy with a (foreign) accent has been kind of unique and unusual.”

Another newcomer to the production is Ray Lillard, who plays Monsieur Constantine Bouc.

“(It’s been) really, really neat. This is like no other production I’ve ever done,” Lillard said.

“This is actually my second production. I did Dracula in the Athens community theater, and this has just blown me away.

“The crew, the set … everybody’s just been amazing.”

With more than 11 people sharing the stage, it may come as a surprise how the Players are able to bring their characters to life and stand out from the crowd.

“I’m always amazed at how talented people are,” Aukerman said. “And some of them did something similar to this in their former life, before they moved to Tellico Village and retired. … Some of them, though, have just picked up these skills since they came to the Village. They learned it from others, learned it on their own and did research and all those kinds of things.”

COME OUT WHILE YOU CAN

It’s no surprise that tickets sell quickly for any TVP production and “Murder on the Orient Express” is no different. After several rehearsals and run-throughs, the cast and crew hopes the community will come out and support them in their fun and mysterious journey on the Orient Express.

“This one is a little bit unusual,” Hawes, who plays Poirot, said. “I think they’ll understand and enjoy the characters in here and look for some of the nuances that a mystery provides.”

At its core, the production is made for everyone to enjoy and come together for a memorable night at the theater.

“Honestly, it’s an amazing story,” Lillard said. “Agatha Christie is an icon in the murder mystery genre.

“They did an amazing job writing this (version of the play). It really pays great homage to that story.

“We’ve got a great cast and a great crew. I recommend everybody come out and see it.”

Showings of the Tellico Players’ rendition of “Murder on the Orient Express” are set for September 11-15, 18-22 and 25-29 at the Tellico Community Playhouse.