Mystery, murder, and intrigue will take center stage in Sun City Theatre Company’s summer production of Agatha Christie’s Mousetrap.
The play is set at a remote guesthouse, where seven strangers are trapped by a snowstorm. When a police sergeant arrives to investigate a murder nearby, suspicion is cast in all directions as the strangers are questioned and reveal their sordid pasts.
Kevin Fenner, director, says Mousetrap will be the first murder mystery ever staged by the Theatre Company of Sun City, but the play itself has been on stage continuously ever since its opening in 1952 in London’s West End.
“I chose this one because it’s truly a classic in the genre,” says Fenner. “Why has it lasted so long? It’s because of the characters, the plot, and the surprise ending.”
Mouse Trap
Show dates: July 17, 18, and 19 at 7 p.m. in Drendel Ballroom.
Ticket sales:
– Monday, June 17, Drendel Breakout Room 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
– Monday, June 24, Cedar Room 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
– Monday, July 8, Cedar Room 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Tickets are $20. Please bring checks or cash for the exact amount.
Ticket info: (847) 515-1583 or (847) 515-8545.
Accessibility accommodations are available by request.
For the past years, Agatha Christie, and now her estate managed by her great-grandson, insist on keeping the ending a secret.
“The estate actually sued a London newspaper for divulging the ending in a review some years ago,” says Fenner. “During the course of the show, every character could have committed the crime.”
Mousetrap is co-produced by Judy Stage and Dick Storer. Jim Rice designed the set depicting the mysterious Monkswell Manor, and Judy Sherer is heading up costuming. “The cast is hard at work,” says Stage. “It definitely takes a village to put on a show like this.”
“The plot is masterfully written by Agatha Christie and it will certainly grab the audience’s attention for the entire production,” says Fenner. “When they find out who did it near the end of the play, it’s an amazing surprise. Everyone in the audience will be reminded to tell everyone they know how wonderful the show is — but not to divulge the ending.”
