Maggie’s Little Theater at St. Margaret Parish in Middle Village will be putting on a production of Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap” this February.
This series of shows is scheduled to run Feb. 11, 17 and 18 at 8 p.m. and Feb. 12 and 19 at 2:30 p.m.
“The Mousetrap” marks the theater’s second series of plays since returning from the COVID-19 pandemic. Last July, the theater returned from a two-year absence with a production of “Kiss Me Kate.” However, the number of shows were cut short following a COVID-19 outbreak among the cast and crew. Maggie’s Little Theater Producer Dolores Voyer is optimistic they can avoid an incident like that happening again and be able to perform on each scheduled date.
As was the case with “Kiss Me Kate,” everyone involved with the production of “The Mousetrap” is vaccinated for COVID-19. The amount of cast and crew needed for this production is also smaller than most other plays. Voyer estimated there to be a total of around 20 people involved in the play, including eight actors.
“We’re hoping that things work out better this time,” Voyer said. “We are very excited about doing ‘The Mousetrap.’ This would be our second show for the 2022-23 season. I don’t expect having any problems as far as being able to perform, but you never know. We’re going to follow the CDC guidelines and the guidelines of the church where we are housed.”
Having run continuously in London for nearly 70 years before the pandemic, “The Mousetrap” is Agatha Christie’s longest-running show of any kind. The play is about seven strangers snowed in a countryside guest house. Shortly after a police sergeant arrives, the group discovers one of them is a killer. As they work to solve this mystery, each character reveals their dark pasts.
The cast for the play includes Sarah Nowik, Andrew Villa, Ari Miller, Karen Schlachter, Mark York, Camilla Zhang, Bernard Bosio and James Curran. Thom Harmon is the director. Voyer noted that this show takes place in one set.
According to Harmon and Voyer, Maggie’s Little Theater decided upon this specific show around the end of spring 2022 to the beginning of summer. Harmon later formerly interviewed for the directorial position in August. Audition notices were put out not long after that, with auditions being held at the end of October. Rehearsing began almost immediately after the cast was decided.
Harmon said his love of theater originally began in high school and college, where he took drama classes. During that time, he had small roles in a few high school and college productions. He credits a coworker in 2012 with really deepening his love for theater. According to Harmon, the coworker had a deep love for community theater and eventually brought Harmon with him to an audition. Since then, Harmon’s love for theater has never wavered.
“About six years ago I started thinking about directing,” Harmon said. “I was an assistant director for a community theater show back in Philadelphia, where I’m originally from. I moved to New York a little over five years ago. I started directing here in Queens after the pandemic. I’ve directed a few plays, but this is my first time directing for Maggie’s. I have both an on-stage and off-stage love of theater.”
Many of the plays Harmon has directed in the past were small and not as plot heavy as how other certain plays may be viewed. He noted that these plays were character-driven pieces. He credits the strength of the play’s heightened characters as contributing to the show’s long running success in London.
Harmon mentioned that due to Hollywood not being able to get the filming rights to this play and the fact it will only be coming to Broadway for the first time ever in 2023, many people who enjoy murder mysteries may not be as familiar with “The Mousetrap” and the story’s twists and turns.
Tickets for the shows will be available at maggieslittletheater.org starting Jan. 2. Tickets will cost $20 for adults and $18 for kids and seniors.
