How does one begin to explore the longest-running stage play in history? Easy. Talk about the mysterious genius behind the murder and mayhem.

Agatha Christie was born in 1890 into an upper-middle-class family in England and was largely home schooled. At the age of 15, she was sent to Paris to attend a series of boarding schools. She wrote her first short story at the age of 18, married at 24, gave birth to their only daughter at 29, and, after a series of 6 rejections, her first detective novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, was published.

While her husband was serving in the military, Agatha worked as an apothecary during which time she became fascinated with poisons. When her husband, who had been having an affair, asked her for a divorce, she disappeared leaving her car perched above a chalk quarry with an expired driver’s license and some of her clothing. After she was discovered ten days later checked into a hotel under the name of her husband’s lover, she was sequestered and diagnosed with a genuine loss of memory. Whether her actions were the result of a nervous breakdown, a publicity stunt, or an attempt to frame her husband for murder, has never been determined.

She went on to a second marriage with an archaeologist 13 years her junior whom she met on a trip to Iraq. (That journey was taken on none other than the notorious Orient Express.) This marriage was a success and they remained together until her death at the age of 85.

During her life, she was granted the title of “Dame” by Queen Elizabeth for her literary accomplishments. Her legacy is vast. She has been named the best-selling fiction author of all time with sales topping 2 billion as of 1971. Her stage play, The Mousetrap, holds the record for the longest-running play in history with an uninterrupted engagement on the West End from 1952 through 2020, closing only because of the pandemic. She has penned a total of 72 novels, 14 short story collections, and a series of plays.

Intriguing?

“Intrigue” could easily be Dame Agatha Christie’s middle name.

And it is our hope that your visit to the snowbound confines of Monkswell Manor will prove to be no less engaging than this fascinating author herself.

— Jim Christian

Excited to be back on the HCT stage; Morgan’s favorite credits include: Harman Theatre - The Odd Couple: Female Version (Florence Unger); HCT - Bright Star (Margo Crawford), Seussical (Mrs. Mayor), and The Scarlet Pimpernel (Marie); CPT - Crazy for You (Polly); Edinburgh Fringe Festival - What the Moon Saw (Moon). 

Kristi’s favorite credits include: HCT - Guys and Dolls (Miss Adelaide), Mary Poppins (Mrs. Brill), and Cinderella (Charlotte); Harman Theatre - The Odd Couple: Female Version (Olive Madison); Centerpoint Theatre - The Crucible (Elizabeth Proctor); Good Company Theatre - Marie Antoinette (Madame de Polignac). 

Clayton is thrilled to be back at Hale Centre Theatre. Favorite credits include: HCT - Mary Poppins (Robertson Ay), A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, and The Scarlet Pimpernel; West Valley City Arts - Arsenic and Old Lace (Mortimer Brewster); and CPT - Holiday Inn (Jim Hardy). 

Some of BJ’s favorite credits include: HCT - Murder on the Orient Express, Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom The Musical, Cinderella, Phantom, and The Wizard of Oz; Weber State University - Will Rogers Follies, Sleepy Hollow The Musical, The Lion in Winter,  Tartuffe, Assassins, and JingleJacks; The Grand Theatre - Forever Plaid and First Date; CenterPoint Legacy Theatre - Shrek The Musical and Into the Woods. 

Making his Hale Centre Theatre debut! Samuel’s favorite credits include Shrek: The Musical (Pinocchio) and Little Shop of Horrors (Mr. Mushnik) with Murray City Cultural Arts, A Christmas Carol (Topper/Solicitor) with HCTO; and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (Lumière) with SCERA Center for the Arts. He serves as Content Director at Osmond Marketing.

Colton was most recently seen on our stage as Hector MacQueen in Murder on the Orient Express; other HCT credits include Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom The Musical (Merv), Cinderella, The Scarlet Pimpernel (Bredeson), and The Music Man. 

Heidi is thrilled to be back on the HCT stage, having recently performed in last season’s production of Murder on the Orient Express. Stage credits include: A Christmas Carol (Mrs. Fezziwig) with Hale Center Theater Orem and Blithe Spirit (Madam Archarti) at Covey Arts Center. 

Bonnie’s favorites include: HCT - A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, 9 to 5: The Musical, The Curious Savage, Hello Dolly, The Wedding Singer, and See How They Run; HCTO - Annie, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and In the Heights; Sandy Amphitheatre - Into The Woods and The Wizard of Oz; 

Bradley is excited to be returning to Hale Centre Theatre. Favorite stage credits include: Murder on the Orient Express, Newsies, Cash on Delivery!, and The Diary of Anne Frank with Hale Centre Theatre and A Christmas Carol (Marley) and Tuck Everlasting with Hale Center Theater Orem, along with directing credits at HCTO, BYU, and Provo Theatre Company. 

Douglas is thrilled to be back on the HCT stage. His favorite stage credits include The Scarlet Pimpernel (Percy/Chauvelin), Big Fish (Edward Bloom), Mary Poppins (Mr. Banks), Ragtime (Father), Catch Me if You Can (Frank Abagnale Sr.), Footloose (Reverend Shaw), The Who’s Tommy (Captain Walker), Assassins (John Wilkes Booth), Pageant (Miss Texas), and 1776 (Thomas Jefferson). He holds a BFA in Music Dance Theatre from BYU.

Kaitlyn is grateful to be back performing with HCT. Favorite stage credits include: HCT - Murder on the Orient Express, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, and The Music Man; Weber State - Nice Work If You Can Get It and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee; and Good Company Theatre - Pirated. 

Making her HCT debut!  Taylor comes to our stage with a varied repertoire, including South Pacific with Opera San Luis Obispo and 2x5 at the International Fringe Festival.  She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Rockford University. 

Chandler was most recently seen on the HCT stage as Monsieur Bouc in last season’s production of Murder on the Orient Express.  Additional credits include: HCT - The Addams Family (Mal Beineke), AIDA (Pharaoh), Big River (Duke), and Ghost: The Musical (Willy Lopez); Gerald Lynch Theater - Sweeney Todd (Sweeney Todd) and Macbeth (Macbeth). 

Anthony is honored to be joining the company of The Mousetrap. Other stage credits include: Murder on the Orient Express (Michel/Head Waiter), The Scarlet Pimpernel (Prince of Wales/Robespierre), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (The Child Catcher) with Hale Centre Theatre; and The 39 Steps with HCTO and CenterPoint Legacy Theatre. Anthony works as an audiobook narrator, Personal Coach with The Orion Way, and co-host of the podcast “Orion Way of Life”. “So grateful for my fiance, Nickie, and son for always being so supportive of my passions.” Antheratops.com theorionway.com

Appearing for the first time on the HCT Sandy stage! Adam’s other credits include The Importance of Being Earnest (Jack Worthing) and Charley’s Aunt (Charley Wykeham), both with Hale Center Theater Orem; The Time Traveler’s Radio Show: Season One (Alex) - a podcast; and a Character Performer at Walt Disney World. In addition, he works as an Onboarding Technician at Weave Communications.

Making his HCT debut! Bradley’s favorite credits include Peter and the Starcatcher with Hale Centre Theatre Orem and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde at BYU. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from BYU and works as a Storyteller at Weber State University and Story Crossroads storytelling festivals.

Jim is a professor emeritus from Weber State University with over 45 years of professional experience as a director, teacher, actor, writer, and producer in the areas of theatre, television and film. He has worked as a director and choreographer for the Tony Award-winning Utah Shakespeare Festival, Pioneer Theatre Company, Hale Centre Theatre, Centerpoint Legacy Theatre, Utah Opera Company, Utah Symphony, Old Lyric Repertory Company, Utah Musical Theatre, Park City Egyptian Theatre, the Grand Theatre, and theatres in California, Arizona, Montana, Florida, Wyoming, Tennessee, and Illinois. 

Jess is thrilled to be at the helm of The Mousetrap. Other HCT credits include Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom The Musical, Phantom, Steel Magnolias, and Matilda. Other favorite credits from California and Utah theatres include Silent Sky, Much Ado About Nothing, Sweeney Todd, Gyspy, Tintypes, West Side Story, The Gog/Magog Project, Peter and the Starcatcher, Arsenic & Old Lace, Neil Simon’s Eugene trilogy, and the World Premiere of Edison & Tesla: An Original Musical. She wants to thank her boys, who give up so much for her to keep doing theatre and never stop supporting her.

Jenn’s work was most recently seen as the Scenic Designer for Bright Star, The Addams Family, Freaky Friday, and Steel Magnolias. Recent costume design credits for HCT: Guys and Dolls, The Wizard of Oz, and Aida. Other Scenic Designs for HCT include The Nerd, A Bundle of Trouble, Big River, Beau Jest, Over the River and Through the Woods, Is He Dead?, The Foreigner, The 39 Steps, and The Game’s Afoot. 

As an accomplished artist and associate Designer, Madeline’s work was recently seen in our productions of Guys and Dolls, Les Miserables, A Tale of Two Cities, Disney’s Tarzan, Murder on the Orient Express, Million Dollar Quartet, Baz Lurhman’s Strictly Ballroom The Musical, Bright Star, Seussical, Matilda, and Cinderella. 

Peggy has designed & sewn for HCT since 2005. She lists some of her favorite designs as The Heart of Robin Hood, Peter and the Starcatcher, Big Fish, Tarzan, Les Miserables, The Civil War, The Three Musketeers, Treasure Island, Aida (2006), The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Matilda. 

Colin has always had a love and passion for lighting which has led to him being the assistant lighting designer on The Atlanta Ballet’s production of La Sylphide and the assistant lighting designer onboard Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas for their original production of Flight: Dare to Dream. 

Michelle has always loved telling stories. Being Hawaiian has helped her gain experience in events from a young age. She decided to dive into finding out more about sound and how it functions. This path led her to her MFA in Sound for the Performing Arts from Purdue University.

Michelle is extremely passionate about details, research, beautiful and interesting “things,” anything to do with flowers, and opening packages. She recently designed her 81st show with our production of The Secret Garden; some of her other favorite designs have included The Drowsy Chaperone, Over The River..., Les Miserables, Tarzan, Tuck Everlasting, My Fair Lady, Aida, and She Loves Me.

Some of Trisha’s favorite designs for HCT: Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom The Musical, Matilda, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, Sister Act, The Pirate Queen, Big Fish, Is He Dead?, Les Miserables, Brigadoon, The 39 Steps, Zorro the Musical, A Tale of Two Cities and Hello, Dolly!.