The Pierce College Theatre will debut its 2024-2025 season with a murder-mystery that coincides with the Halloween season.
Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap,” directed by Shaheen Vaaz, will open on Friday, Oct. 18, and run until Sunday, Oct. 27, in the Performing Arts Mainstage. The play is double-cast with both casts performing on different nights.
Based on a real case that happened during World War II, the production has run continuously in London’s West End since 1952 and follows a “group of strangers trapped during a snowstorm.”
“We start with a murder,” Vaaz said. “It’s a thriller, there’s suspicion abounding and it’s very cozy and at the same time it’s discombobulating. There’s a lot of clues. It’s fun, and yet there’s a layer of truth underneath it that is quite moving.”
Clyde Sandoval, who plays Major Metcalf, said when the cast started working on the production they noted that murder mysteries are cozy, and the ensemble wants to give “that delightful, cozy ride, especially since it’s around Halloween.”
Melinda Birke, who plays Mollie Ralston, added what effect they wanted to have on the audience.
“We definitely want to have the audience feel welcomed into this space and feel like they’re a part of it,” Birke said. “I think that’ll really add to the excitement when things start getting a little tense. The audience will really feel like they’re going through that, too.”
Ryan Snyders, who plays Giles Ralston, said he wants to “hook” the audience and “have them along for the ride.”
For some of the members of the cast, it will be their first time performing on the Performing Arts Mainstage.
“I’ve usually always been in the Black Box (Dow Arena Theatre), and it’s been a very welcoming experience for me,” said Pahola Godinez, who plays Mrs. Boyle. “I feel like everybody has been very nice and very supportive of everyone’s decisions on stage.”
Godinez added that working with Pierce theatre professor Esdras Toussaint before has helped with her voice now that she is performing in a larger theater, and that the switch from stages has not been frightening.
“I know obviously you always can be louder, but I think the transition to this point was just smooth,” Godinez said.
Dale Van Slyke, who plays Detective Sergeant Trotter, said each cast has a different dynamic and said he felt “this cast was so into breaking down the script.”
“There were questions asked during this production that on a first read of the script you wouldn’t even think about asking and people were intrinsically asking those questions, not only about their characters, but other people’s characters and just how things work,” Van Slyke said.
According to Vaaz, no other productions are allowed in England, but it remains a popular play in the United States.
“This is the world’s longest running play,” Vaaz said. “I keep wondering, ‘There has to be a reason for its success?’ I think it’s because we have this beautiful compact set, and we have this cast of characters who we warm up to very easily, a young couple, an artistic weirdo, a detective sergeant, some older people who come in.”
The entire cast consists of Grant Asner, Melinda Birke, Trevor Bowens, Dylan Coogan, Olivia Espinoza, Amit Farhi, Robin Flores, Pahola Godinez, Essence Haridman, Madeleine McKay, Charley Ramos, Clyde Sandoval, Chloe Saponara, Ryan Snyders, Ali Suliman, Dale Van Slyke and Maya Zelter.
“The Mousetrap” will open at the Performing Arts Mainstage on Friday, Oct. 18, and run until Sunday, Oct. 27. Showtimes for Fridays and Saturdays are at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 for students and seniors and $20 for general admission.
Parking is located at Parking Lot #6, next to the Performing Arts Building.
LAPC Theatre’s venues are accessible to those with mobile disabilities and hearing impairments.
For additional information or to purchase tickets, call (818) 719-6488, or visit lapctheatre.org to purchase tickets online.
