Posted on 10 min read

Performances of “Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd” begin July 14 at Westport Country Playhouse

The cast of “Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd” - Top row, from left: Mark Silence, Joe Delafield, Erin Noel Grennan, Allen Gilmore, Tom Hewitt, Nicole Shalhoub, John Rapson, Richard Ruiz Henry. Bottom row: Shereen Ahmed, Katy Tang, Anthony Cochrane, Karen Ziemba. Photo by Kelsey McFarland
The cast of “Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd” – Top row, from left: Mark Silence, Joe Delafield, Erin Noel Grennan, Allen Gilmore, Tom Hewitt, Nicole Shalhoub, John Rapson, Richard Ruiz Henry. Bottom row: Shereen Ahmed, Katy Tang, Anthony Cochrane, Karen Ziemba. Photo by Kelsey McFarland

The Westport Country Playhouse will present a stage adaptation of “Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd” from July 14 through August 1. The suspenseful whodunit is adapted for the stage and directed by Mark Shanahan, who serves as the Playhouse artistic director. The production is being mounted in association with Agatha Christie Ltd.

Set in 1926 England, the narrative follows the legendary detective Hercule Poirot as he investigates the killing of a wealthy man. The mystery unfolds as Poirot uncovers hidden motives and long-buried secrets among a house full of suspects. The original novel cemented Christie’s professional reputation as the Queen of Crime and has been recognized as a landmark piece of detective fiction.

The production features a 12-member cast that includes returning Playhouse performers and Broadway veterans. Anthony Cochrane stars as Hercule Poirot, alongside Shereen Ahmed as Flora Ackroyd, Joe Delafield as Ralph Paton, Allen Gilmore as Inspector Raglan, and Erin Noel Grennan as Caroline Sheppard. The cast also features Richard Ruiz Henry, Tom Hewitt, John Rapson, Nicole Shalhoub, Mark Silence, Katy Tang, and Karen Ziemba.

Director Mark Shanahan previously directed “The 39 Steps” and “Theatre People” during the 2024-25 Playhouse season, and has directed his family holiday adaptation of “A Sherlock Carol” for three consecutive seasons. Shanahan is also the curator of the Playhouse’s Script in Hand playreading series and the creator of the Westport Country Playhouse Radio Theater in partnership with WSHU Public Radio.

The creative team behind the production includes assistant director Bruce Warren, set designer Charlie Corcoran, costume designer Jeni Schaefer, lighting designer Julie Duro, and sound designer John Gromada. Chloe Cobb serves as props supervisor, with fight choreography by Seth Andrew Bridges. The stage management team includes production stage manager Kevin Jinghong Zhu and assistant stage manager Matthew Rohan.

Performances will run weekly from Tuesday through Sunday, with evening showtimes and selected afternoon matinees. The theater has scheduled several special series throughout the run, including Taste of Tuesdays on July 14, Pride Night on July 16, and an Opening Night event on July 18. Additional programmatic events include a Sunday Symposium, Backstage Pass, Together at the Table, and an Open Captions performance.

The production has a running time of approximately two hours, including one intermission, and is noted as appropriate for individuals aged 11 and up. Single tickets for the run start at $50, with dedicated discounts available for students, senior citizens, educators, military personnel, first responders, Indigenous peoples, and professional playwrights.

Click here to purchase tickets.

***** Message Center*****

Westport merch

203 Westport • Exit 41 • Exit 42 • I’d rather be in Westport • I Really Really Miss Westport • Just a kid from Westport • Love & Life Minuteman •

Visit our other sites

Finding Connecticut • Finding The Hudson Valley • Finding Lehigh Valley • Finding New York City • JELD