Trine Theatre announces cast for ‘Murder on the Orient Express’

Trine University Theatre has announced the cast and crew for its upcoming production of “Murder on the Orient Express,” by Agatha Christie.

The play will be performed at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Nov. 6 and 7, and at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8, in the Ryan Concert Hall of the T. Furth Center for Performing Arts.

Tickets are $10 each for the general public, $5 for students ages 5-17 and free for Trine students and employees. They will be available at trine.edu/furthtickets or at the door.

Adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig, “Murder on the Orient Express” takes place on a luxurious train that is stopped by a snowdrift. When an American tycoon is found dead, it is up to detective Hercule Poirot to identify the murderer before he or she strikes again.

Appropriate for all ages, the play contains the suspense of Christie’s novel while incorporating humor throughout.

Cast members are as follows:

• Ty Pearce, a biomedical engineering major from Columbia City, Indiana, as Hercule Poirot
• Jonah Kyle, a computer science and information technology major from Valparaiso, Indiana, as Monsieur Bouc
• Sage Scherzer, an athletics and recreation major from Elkhorn, Wisconsin, as Mary Debenham
• Tyler Kreider, a biology major from Trafalgar, Indiana, as Hector Macqueen
• Dominic Garner, an extended reality major from Garrett, Indiana, as Michel the Conductor
• Madelyn Cox, a psychology major from Hicksville, Ohio, as Princess Dragomiroff
• Lydia Keiter, a biomedical engineering major from Kokomo, Indiana, as Greta Ohlsson
• Macy Bonifield, an elementary education/special education major from Warsaw, Indiana, as Countess Andrenyi
• Evyenia Butterfield, a biology education major from Valparaiso, Indiana, as Helen Hubbard
• Judah Witmer, a psychology major from Angola, Indiana, as Colonel Arbuthnot
• Zidon Spradling, an English education major from Fort Wayne, Indiana, as Samuel Ratchett
• Nathan Schmidt, a computer science and information technology major, as Head Waiter
• Mackenzie Rosenau, an English major from Jackson, Michigan, as Mother
• Ben Hercules, a design engineering technology major from New Franklin, Ohio, as Father/Man
• Katelyn Brott, a math education major from Sturgis, Michigan, as Nanny
• Vick Kiger, a psychology major from Carmel, Indiana, as Little Girl
• Jaden Ryan, an electrical engineering major from Lima, Ohio, as Male Understudy 1 (Hercule Poirot/Colonel Arbuthnot/Michel the Conductor)
• Jack Tarpein, a design engineering technology major from Jonesboro, Indiana, as Male Understudy 2 (Monsieur Bouc/Hector Macqueen/Samuel Ratchett)
• Kaylee Nelson, a criminal justice major from Wabash, Indiana, as Female Understudy 1 (Mary Debenham/Princess Dragomiroff/Helen Hubbard)
• Kharma Gentner, a math education major from Bryan, Ohio, as Female Understudy 2 (Greta Ohlsson/Countess Andrenyi)

Lou Ann Homan, Trine lecturer, is serving as director, with assistance from Lydia Roop, the university’s marketing and communication coordinator. Conner Upton, a software engineering major from Brownsburg, Indiana, is stage manager.

The Trine Theatre program is part of the university’s Department of Humanities and Communication.