DEKALB, ILL, June 16, 2022 – What would you do if an advertisement in the local paper announced the place and time of a future murder? The answer to that question in the world of Dame Agatha Christie comes to life as Stage Coach Players (SCP) will produce her mystery, A Murder Is Announced this July. The drama is adapted from Christie’s novel of the same name by Leslie Darbon.
A Murder Is Announced, directed by Mandi Sester, is a good old-fashioned murder-mystery featuring one of Christie’s most beloved characters, Miss Marple. Often characterized as an elderly spinster, Miss Marple acts as an amateur consulting detective. Playwright Leslie Darbon adapted the novel into the play in 1977 where it was first presented at the Theatre Royal, Brighton, England.
The story of A Murder Is Announced starts when an announcement appears in the local paper of the British country village of Chipping Cleghorn. It states the time and place when a murder is to occur. The location of the murder is the house of Letitia Blacklock, called Little Paddocks. Because it is a close-knit village, Miss Blacklock expects guests for that evening, and she prepares for them. As expected, several villagers appear with interest.
As the clock strikes 6:30, the lights of the house go out. Then a door swings open, revealing a stranger with a blinding flashlight who demands that the guests “Stick ’em up!” Gunshots are heard and when the lights return, the stranger lies dead on the floor. Dora Bunner recognizes the man as a Swiss man who worked for a local hotel. What follows is a classic Christie puzzle of mixed motives, concealed identities, a second death and a determined inspector grimly following the case’s twists and turns. Fortunately, Miss Marple is on hand to provide the solution.
Christie attributed her inspiration of Miss Marple to friends of her step grandmother, stating that Miss Marple was the sort of old lady who would have been rather like some of her step grandmother’s Ealing cronies. SCP has produced many of Christie’s mysteries to great success, including And Then There Were None in 2010, and The Mousetrap in 2019.
Performances for A Murder is Announced are July 14 – 16, 2022 and July 22 – 23, 2022 with a curtain time of 7:30 p.m. along with Sunday matinees on July 17 and July 24, 2022, with a curtain time of 2:00. Tickets are $15 each or $13 for seniors and children aged 13 and under. Tickets are currently on sale through the box office phone at 815-758-1940. To purchase tickets, visit our online website at www.stagecoachplayers.com. You can also call the SCP box office at 815-758-1940. The box office will open Sunday, July 10, 2022.
Thank you for being understanding as SCP navigates COVID-19 guidelines. For this production, masks are suggested but not required. If the state of Illinois guidelines change, our guidelines will change also. Thank you for helping us keep our patrons, cast and crew safe.
