GUILFORD-Two murder crimes will be solved in one evening as Guilford Center Stage presents their 10th anniversary production, Agatha! - a pair of one-act Agatha Christie plays. Performances will be at the Broad Brook Community Center Friday and Saturday, Oct. 17 and 18, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 19, at 2 p.m.
The production highlights the work of "the popular and most-published English author," organizers wrote in a news release. They said the performances also further Guilford Center Stage's commitment to produce the work of Vermont playwrights, as Christie's short story has been adapted for the stage by playwright Miles Ledoux of Springfield, Vermont, who directs the shows as well as acts.
The plays each introduce one of Christie's popular characters, Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. The opener, featuring the Belgian Poirot, is Yellow Iris, originally a radio play heard on the BBC in 1937.
He receives a mysterious telephone call and hurries to a popular supper club where the plot unfolds. An interesting feature of this play is a cabaret song with lyrics by Christie, with tune composed by Ledoux, and sung by Evelyn McLean, accompanied by Judith Williams.
Poirot is played by Guilford actor Jesse Farrar, joined by Ledoux and cast members Harral Hamilton, Laura Lockie, Daria Mashnik, Nick Morgan, and John Ogorzalek.
The second play, The Thumb Mark of St. Peter, is from 1927 and features Miss Marple.
Ledoux points out that while Christie did not write Marple stage plays, "some of Miss Marple's stories have been adapted into plays by other writers. All of the Marple novels and many of her short stories have been adapted into films and TV shows, but this is the very first adaptation of The Thumb Mark of St. Peter in any medium."
Performers Mashnik and Morgan are joined by Kay Beckett, Carolyn Nelson, and Joshua Nelson. Rebecca Saunders portrays Miss Marple.
Ledoux has written more than 20 plays and has directed 25, most of them murder mysteries. He has also designed and run mystery parties and he is the author of the Winter in Veil mystery series.
The Guilford production is stage managed by Sue Kelly, with lighting by Julie Holland. Yellow Iris is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French Inc.
General admission is $15 at the door (cash, check, Venmo, or Paypal) and general admission advance tickets are available online at bpt.me/6688717. Broad Brook Community Center is at 3940 Guilford Center Rd., just under four miles west of the Country Store, and is fully accessible.
This Arts item was submitted to The Commons.