Owosso’s Lebowsky Center has done a fantastic send-up of the Agatha Christie classic Murder on the Orient Express. Amy Jo Brown, the director, has assembled a terrific cast, full of unique characters with a variety of convincing accents.
M.D. Nelson embodies the role of Hercule Poirot, expertly portraying his humorous quirks while corralling the numerous suspects. (Incidentally, the mustache is real). Standouts include Anthony Mandalari as Samuel Ratchett and Dawn Sabourin as Helen Hubbard, both playing flamboyant Americans with gusto.
The train set was amazing. It was effectively another character in the show, doing a great job of conveying the feeling of tight spaces. Train movement was well-displayed by collaboration between the actors, sound, lights, and special effects. The Set Team is credited as Kent & Sharon Kukulis, Amy Jo Brown, Dan Wenzlick, and Tim Feldpausch.
The flashback scenes were particularly creative and effective. I highly recommend the drive out to Owosso. Even if you already know whodunit, you’ll enjoy the train ride as they arrive at the solution.
Murder on the Orient Express continues through April 29. Tickets at https://lebowskycenter.com