Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express arrives at Magenta Theater Friday

(Back Row, left to right) Michael Reid as Monsieur Bouc, Rob Wilson as Colonel Arbuthnot, Emily Smith as Mary Debenham. (Middle, left to right) Mindy Rees as Greta Ohlsson, Shaye Eller as Countess Andrenyi, Lynn Lavon as Princess Dragomiroff, Andrew Pongratz as Hector MacQueen. (Front, left to right) Kristen Noël as Helen Hubbard, Tony Provenzola as Hercule Poirot, and Charlie Duper as Michel the Conductor. Photo courtesy Fetching Photos

Eleven performances are scheduled for October 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 28, and 29 at 7:30 p.m. and October 16, 23, and 30 at 2 p.m.

VANCOUVER – A luxury train trapped in a snowdrift. A dining car full of glamorous passengers. A dead body with multiple stab wounds. A suspicious intruder who keeps disappearing, and mysterious links to a far-distant murder case. A golden-age detective story springs to life from the pages of one of the world’s best-selling authors, Agatha Christie, in Murder on the Orient Express, adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig, performed by special arrangement with Concord Theatricals. Experience the mystery at Magenta Theater October 14th through 30th. Tickets are available now and selling fast!

(Front) Tony Provenzola as Hercule Poirot. (Left of Poirot, from right to left) Kristen Noël as Helen Hubbard, Jack Harvison as Samuel Ratchett, Shaye Eller as Countess Andrenyi, Emily Smith as Mary Debenham, and Robert Wilson as Colonel Arbuthnot. (Right of Poirot, from Right to Left) Lynn Lavon as Princess Dragomiroff, Andrew Pongratz as Hector MacQueen, Mindy Rees as Greta Ohlsson, Michael Reid as Monsieur Bouc, and Charlie Duper as Michel the Conductor. Photo courtesy Fetching Photos

Hercule Poirot, the world’s greatest detective, must interrupt his holiday to solve this fiendishly intricate and clever plot — before the snow is cleared and the train moves on. With him aboard the train is a colorful cast of characters: a doctor, a governess, an exiled princess and her companion, a businessman and his secretary, a housewife, a soldier, and others … all who have a motive in the murder.

Monsieur Bouc (Michael Reid, left) and Michel the Conductor (Charlie Duper, middle) look on as Hercule Poirot (Tony Provenzola, right) ponders the mystery of the Orient Express. Photo courtesy Fetching Photos

The cast stars Tony Provenzola, reprising the role of Hercule Poirot from Magenta’s 2013 production of Agatha Christie’s Black Coffee. Joining him in solving the murder is Michael Reid as Monsieur Bouc, manager of Wagon Lit Train Company and Charlie Duper as Michel the Conductor of the Orient Express. Shaye Eller, Kristen Noël, Jack Harvison, Andrew Pongratz, Emily Smith, Robert Wilson, Lynn Lavon, and Mindy Rees make up the pool of suspects aboard the train. The show is under the direction of Kristen Bennett and contains a variety of accents and special effects including flashing lights, fog, gunshots and other loud noises, and live flame. Audience advisory also includes warnings about simulated violence and scenes depicting or describing self-harm throughout the show.

Samuel Ratchett (Jack Harvison, right) looks menacingly at Hercule Poirot (Tony Provenzola, left) who has refused to take on a case for him. Photo courtesy Fetching Photos

Audiences of this show also have the privilege of enjoying Magenta Theater’s brand new seats, made possible through the generous donations from Magenta’s patrons.

Eleven performances are scheduled for October 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 28, and 29 at 7:30 p.m. and October 16, 23, and 30 at 2 p.m. A special performance featuring the understudy actors will take place on October 27 at 7:30pm.

Tickets for all shows are $20 in advance, $22 at the door (as available). Tickets available at www.magentatheater.com.

Ticket and performance information

When: October 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, and 29 at 7:30 p.m. (doors open at 7 p.m.) and October 16, 23, and 30 at 2 p.m. (doors open at 1:30 p.m.). A special performance featuring the understudy actors will take place on October 27 at 7:30 p.m. (doors open at 7 p.m.).

Where: Magenta Theater Company, 1108 Main Street, Vancouver, WA 98660

Tickets: $20 in advance, $22 at the door www.magentatheater.com

Box Office Contact: (360) 949-3098 – tickets@magentatheater.com