Auditions for Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express

Adapted by Ken Ludwig

Performances and auditions at Chagrin Valley Little Theatre, 40 River Street, Chagrin Falls OH.

Seeking a versatile ensemble of actors, age 21 and over. (Many great roles for both men and women – including opportunities for middle-aged and older actors.)

Ken Ludwig’s adaptation of the Agatha Christie classic boasts all the glamour, intrigue and suspense of Dame Agatha’s celebrated novel, with a healthy dose of humor to quicken the pace. Just after midnight, a snowdrift stops the Orient Express in its tracks. The luxurious train is surprisingly full for the time of the year, but by the morning it is one passenger fewer. An American tycoon lies dead in his compartment, stabbed eight times, his door locked from the inside. Isolated and with a killer in their midst, the passengers rely on detective Hercule Poirot to identify the murderer – in case he or she decides to strike again.

Director: Don Bernardo
Producer: Kate Williams-Bernardo

Auditions Dates:

Sunday, September 22 – 6:30pm – 9:00pm
Monday, September 23 – 6:30pm – 9:00pm

Please arrive at 6:30pm on the day you would like to audition. Please use the Sign Up Genius link to register to audition. No specific audition times needed – auditions will be conducted as a “cattle call” and consist of cold readings from the script. No preparation needed, however please note that accents will be used, as noted below.

No callbacks. Video auditions not accepted.

Rehearsals:

First (mandatory) Table Read on Sunday, November 3 starting at 1pm
Regular rehearsals running November 17 – January 23 (with time off for the Thanksgiving, Christmas and other holidays).
Rehearsals generally scheduled 7:00pm to 9:30pm, Sunday thru Thursday.

Performances:

January 24 – February 2, 2025 (with 2pm matinees on Sunday 2/2 and closing night 2/8)

CVLT is a community theatre – no acting roles are compensated.

Roles Available (with gender, age ranges and accents/dialects noted):

HERCULE POIROT (M, mid-40’s to late 50’s, French/Belgian accent): Meticulous and exacting, Poirot is a keen observer of detail and an astute judge of character. He is moral and intellectual, with a strong sense of right and wrong that guides him even when he doesn’t follow the law. He’s also somewhat fussy and vain, and enjoys creature comforts.
MONSIEUR BOUC (M, 30+, French): A young or middle-aged man of good humor, Monsieur Bouc is an old friend of Poirot’s and is a director of the Compagnie Internationale des Wagon-Lits which operates the Orient Express. He is mildly impressed with his own importance on the train, but not in an arrogant way. He appears removed from the crime, often acting as Poirot’s sounding board, much like Captain Hastings in the Christie novels. (Think “a French Dr. Watson.”)
SAMUEL RATCHETT (M, middle-age, American accent): An American businessman and the play’s murder victim, Ratchett is brusque and unforgiving, with a threatening demeanor and a whiplash of a voice. He’s made plenty of enemies… almost everyone has wished him dead. Note: The actor who is cast will double with Colonel Arbuthnot (described below) and must display two distinct characters.
COLONEL ARBUTHNOT (M, middle age, Scottish): A Scotsman, Arbuthnot is handsome and very matter of fact. He’s hopelessly in love with Mary Debenham. Note: The actor who is cast will double with Samuel Ratchett (described above) and must display two distinct characters.
COUNTESS ELÉNA ANDRENYI (F, Early 20’s, Hungarian): Brilliantly beautiful and always dressed to the nines in furs and diamonds. Christie describes her as “timid and charming…exotic and beautiful.” Note: In the novel and films, the Countess is accompanied by her husband, the Count. The Count does not exist in this adaptation, and Ludwig’s Countess character is somewhat of an amalgamation of the two. She is also a trained physician which serves to eliminate yet another Christie character (the Doctor).
MARY DEBENHAM (F, late 20’s early 30’s, R.P./standard English): An English beauty in her late twenties, Mary bears a certain sadness in her eyes. When she first appears, she is very anxious.
PRINCESS DRAGOMIROFF (F, 60+, Russian): A Russian princess, now in her seventies, described as entering her compartment “like a galleon in full sail.” Expensively dressed and handsomely bejeweled. Described by Christie as “one of the ugliest old ladies Poirot had ever seen. It was an ugliness of distinction – it fascinated rather than repelled.” Speaks in rather autocratic tones to pretty much everyone, especially her lady’s maid.
GRETA OHLSSON (F, 40+, Swedish): Plain and modest, Greta has a frightened, sheep-like quality about her.
MICHEL THE CONDUCTOR/HEAD WAITER (M, any age, French): Professional in demeanor, he is knowledgeable and a bit overconfident, but not arrogant. He has a quiet, almost grave sense of humor. He’s seen a lot in his years on the Orient Express, and he knows his way around the train. Note: This role is doubled, but the two characters may not need to be highly differentiated.
HELEN HUBBARD (F, 40+, any American accent): An outspoken, entitled wealthy American in her fifties, well dressed with a touch of flamboyance, Mrs. Hubbard is a tough-talking broad with rough edge and a bold sense of humor which irritates many of the Europeans.
HECTOR MacQUEEN (M, early 30s, any American accent): Personal secretary to Mr. A nervous young American with a strained, rather beleaguered face, Hector appears to be suppressing something.

In addition to the above roles, the show opens with a pre-recorded scene of voices, a Mother, Father, Nanny, and Little Girl. The role of the Little Girl has been cast, and two members of the regular cast will be chosen to record the Mother and Father voices. The voices of the actors playing Mary Debenham and Samuel Ratchett’s voices (Nanny and The Man) are also featured in that scene.

Complete script is available for purchase at: https://www.concordtheatricals.com/

Please address any questions to donbernardo@sbcglobal.net