Playwright-in-Residence, James Still, directs the Indiana Repertory Theatre’s season closer Dial “M” for Murder, a thrilling stage play that inspired Alfred Hitchcock’s suspense classic. Weaving an ever-tightening web of danger and deception, the production reveals what happens when a murder plot goes wrong.
Unlike most mysteries Dial “M” for Murder invites audience members to be in on the murder plan from the beginning of the play. “Playwright Frederick Knott makes the audience both witness and accomplice to the attempted murder of Margot Wendice,” said Still. “Mr. Knott had the great instinct to focus less on mystery and more on suspense. Hitchcock, of course, was known as the Master of Suspense.” Hitchcock’s suspense classic debuted in 1954, a decade Still plans to capture through the film noir inspired work of the design team. “One of the first things that James brought up was the idea of the characters feeling like they inhabited a lush Technicolor world of early 1950’s American cinema,” said costume designer Tracy Dorman. Together the design team, comprised of Dorman, Kate Sutton-Johnson (Scene), Lindsey Jones (Composer and Sound), Michelle Habeck (Lighting), Katherine Freer (Projections) and Jason Tuttle (Sound), use this color palette to convey character and place, and rely on lighting and projections to evoke the film noir qualities of the play and setting. “As a design team, we’ve worked carefully together to craft a world that feels very heightened and tense,” said Dorman, who shares that the team will illuminate the set with odd shaped Hitchcock-inspired projections and embrace classic thriller music, each giving the audience a subtle sense of discomfort as the story unfolds. Brought to life by an eight-member cast, Dial “M” for Murder is a cold-blooded plot gone intensely wrong. Experience the thrill for yourself on the OneAmerica Mainstage from April 25 – May 21. DETAILS What: Dial ‘M’ for Murder When: April 25 – May 21 Where: One America Mainstage, 140 W. Washington Street Expected Run Time: About 2 hours, plus one 15-minute intermission Age: Recommended for patrons 6th grade and above Content advisory: Contains mild language and scenes of violence CAST & THE CREATIVE TEAM CHRIS ALLEN as Max Halliday MEREDITH GRANGER as Pendleton & Williams DAVID MOSEDALE as O’Brien MATT MUELLER as Tony Wendice ROBERT NEAL as Detective Inspector Hubbard PAUL NICELY as Roger & Thompson SARAH RUGGLES as Margot Wendice STEVE WOJTAS as Captain Lesgate JAMES STILL | Director KATE SUTTON-JOHNSON |Scenic Design TRACY DORMAN | Costume Design MICHELLE HABECK | Lighting Design LINDSAY JONES | Sound Design and Composition KATHERINE FREER | Projection Design JASON TUTTLE | Assistant Sound Designer SPECIAL EVENTS – learn more at irtlive.com/specialevents OPENING NIGHT | April 28, performance at 7:30 PM BACKSTAGE TOUR | April 29, performance at 5 PM IRTEA TALK | May 7, performance at 2 PM HAPPY HOUR | May 16, performance at 6:30 PM MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH | May 14 at 12:30 PM, performance at 2 PM –learn more at irtlive.com/mom POST-SHOW DISCUSSION | May 16, performance at 6:30 PM COOKIES & COFFEE | May 18, performance at 2 PM CALENDAR – click here to view the calendar |
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