Murder to be the case on Vanguard’s stage

Tom Titus

Agatha Christie, in her long career of chilling mystery readers’

bones, wrote a number of suspense thrillers that have become quite

familiar to theatergoers.

Plays like “The Mousetrap” and “Ten Little Indians” have become as

standard in their genre as “The Odd Couple” and “Plaza Suite” have

among devotees of Neil Simon’s comedy. “Indians,” in fact, was being

presented on two local stages simultaneously not long ago.

So it’s refreshing when an Agatha Christie play comes along in

which the majority of its audiences are blissfully unaware of

“whodunit.” Such an event is unfolding this weekend at Costa Mesa’s

Vanguard University.

“A Murder is Announced” comes from the English queen of fictional

foul play and involves a familiar character -- the mumbling, meddling

Miss Marple, epitomized on the big screen by Margaret Rutherford. And

it begins with an announcement in a local newspaper, describing the

time and place of the dreaded event.

“A murder is announced and will take place on Friday, October 13,

at Little Paddocks at 6:30 p.m.,” the invitation reads. The intent of

this prospective crime, however, is puzzling to the townspeople of

Chipping Cleghorn (Christie always did have a knack for English place

names).

Is it simply a planned party game or a bone-chilling crime about

to rattle their nerves? Well, you’ll just have to show up to find

out. But never fear -- Miss Marple is on the case.

In the Vanguard production, Miss Marple is portrayed by Chrissy

Tiholiz. Among the usual suspects in the cast of the mystery are Tony

Console, Christy Clark, Mary Hering, Darlene Watson, Chris Rushing,

Deborah Chesterman, Rick Arbuckle, Jenna Lloyd, Kerry Cass, Jesse

Aguilera and Justin Merando.

Directing all this sinister activity is Susan K. Berkompas, now in

her sixth year as artistic producer and chairwoman of Vanguard’s

theater department. Berkompas starred in Vanguard’s production of

“The Lion in Winter” last season and also directed the school’s

Shakespearean tragedy, “Macbeth.”

“Whatever you witness here tonight must stay under wraps,”

Berkompas warns in a program note to Vanguard audiences. “In other

words, do not impart to others what you are about to witness -- if

you know what is good for you.”

“A Murder is Announced” opens tonight and will play through Nov.

21, with performances Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday

at 2 p.m. at the school’s Lyceum Theater, 55 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa.

Tickets are $10 and $8, with reservations available by calling the

box office at (714) 668-6145.

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Daily Pilot. His reviews

appear Fridays.