The Monmouth Community Players will hold auditions for the first show of its 28th season, Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap.”
Auditions will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25, and 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 26, in the lower lobby of Cumston Hall, 796 Main St., Monmouth, according to a news release from Monmouth Community Players.
At Monkswell Manor, news on the radio reports that a murder has recently taken place in London. Mollie and Giles Ralston, the young owners of the once-regal estate recently converted into a guesthouse, hardly notice the news. They are far too busy preparing for the arrival of their first guests and concerned that the heavy snowfalls may prevent the guests reaching their destination. As the guests arrive safely and the Manor becomes snowed in, a policeman arrives on skis suspecting that one of the seven occupants may be the killer. After a second murder occurs in the Manor, Sergeant Trotter is convinced.
Suspects include the young married couple, a spinster with a curious background, an architect who seems better equipped to be a chef, a retired army major, an unexpected visitor who claims his car has run into a snowdrift and a jurist who makes life miserable for everyone. During his interrogation, Sergeant Trotter uncovers the many mysterious secrets of everyone present, as he tries to solve the murder in true Christie style.
Character descriptions:
• Mollie Ralston is the wife of Giles Ralston, Mollie is the young owner of Monkswell Manor, a Victorian-era estate that has recently been converted into a guest house.
• Giles Ralston, Mollie’s husband of one year, Giles is the co-host at Monkswell Manor.
• Christopher Wren is a flightly, obviously neurotic young man, Christopher is a guest at the manor.
• Mrs. Boyle is a stern and generally unpleasant guest at the manor.
• Major Metcalf , a typical retired British military officer.
• Miss Casewell is a bit masculine in her demeanor and remains mysteriously aloof from the other guests.
• Mr. Paravicini, an unexpected guest at the manor, he is there only because his car became stuck in a snowbank during a terrible blizzard.
• Detective Sergeant Trotter, a late arriving guest at the manor, is trying to establish a relationship between any of the guests and a murder already committed at another location.
The show dates are Nov. 1-10. Rehearsals will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. every Monday and Wednesday, and from 2 to 5 p.m. every Sunday, starting at the read thru Aug. 28. Come to auditions with all known conflicts.
For more information, or with questions concerning the auditions or the show, email the theater at monmouthcommunityplayersmaine@gmail.com.
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