Unlucky days and dangerous secrets: Students take the lead in ‘Murder on the Orient Express,’ opening Feb. 12
Jan. 28, 2026
For Samuel Edward Ratchett, February’s Friday the 13th will prove to be as unlucky as it gets.
For that matter, Ratchett’s luck won’t improve on Feb. 12 or the weekend that follows, either. The character’s fate is at the heart of “Murder on the Orient Express,” an Agatha Christie whodunit that will be staged by members of Maryville College’s Alpha Psi Omega theater honor society.
Adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig and taking place in the Haslam Family Flex Theatre of the Clayton Center for the Arts, the production places students firmly in the conductor’s seat — creatively, logistically and artistically — with a little help from Christina Scott Sayer, the Clayton Center’s artistic programming manager who also serves as the play’s director.
The classic mystery follows famed Belgian detective Hercule Poirot as he investigates a homicide aboard the luxurious Orient Express, where every passenger appears to have a secret — and a motive. Though the story has been told countless times in print, on film and on stage, this student-driven production aims to make the familiar feel urgent, intimate and newly alive, according to Sayer.
“‘Murder on the Orient Express’ is a jewel in the crown of the world’s greatest mystery writer, Agatha Christie, and it’s been adapted for the stage by one of the biggest names in modern American playwriting, Ken Ludwig,” Sayer said. “The characters are lively, varied and interesting. The costumes are colorful, vintage and fun. The set design is beautiful and rich. ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ has stood the test of time for a reason, and audiences both familiar and unfamiliar with the plot are bound to have a great time.”
Taking care of business on both sides of the curtain
Although her day job involves booking the acts that normally grace the Clayton Center’s three stages, Sayer was invited to direct by APO students after they attended a production she directed for Theatre Knoxville Downtown.
“Last spring, a few students came up to see a production of ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ I directed for Theatre Knoxville Downtown and liked my style,” she said. “They reached out to me, and I thought it sounded like a fun opportunity to work with Maryville College students in a different capacity.”
Though Sayer works full time at the Clayton Center, she said the short, intense rehearsal schedule — just over a month from first read-through to opening night — is familiar territory. Leading up to tech week (the final rehearsal period where lights, sound and sets are integrated into the production, usually the week before opening night), she’s joining Maryville College Theatre students four nights per week, and from tech week forward, they’ll be in the theater daily.
“I am often involved in Knoxville community theater (where I live) as a director or actor, so the long day from work to rehearsal isn’t unfamiliar — the commute from my office to the Flex Theatre is just a lot shorter!” she said. “It does mean a 13-ish hour day for me (including my commute), but stretching these creative muscles is the fun part!”
For APO president Eden Carnes ’27, who also appears in the show as Helen, the production represents both resilience and growth after an abrupt change in plans. The organization initially intended to stage “Clue,” but a mix-up over the acquisition of the rights to produce it led to a snafu that gave students an improv opportunity on the business side of the curtain.
“We learned that APO had not acquired the rights to ‘Clue’ the week before Thanksgiving break,” Carnes said. “Putting on ‘Clue’ had been our plan since early the previous spring semester, so it was quite a blow.”
Within 24 hours, students regrouped, weighed logistics, artistic goals and budget realities, and selected “Murder on the Orient Express” as a replacement. It wasn’t an easy pivot, but it made the most sense given the logistics already on hand and the expectations of what the show required. Now, with less than a month until it opens, the resulting show reflects APO’s distinctive structure, which differs significantly from a traditional department-led production, Carnes pointed out.
“APO functions as the producer for the shows, so we collectively make many of the major decisions,” Carnes said. “With the exception of Christina, the rest of the production committee is made up of students or recent grads … APO shows are a passion project created by students through and through. We pick the show, we choose the team, and we make it happen.”
A collaborative effort
That student ownership extends to the cast, which includes performers from every class year and a mix of theater and non-theater majors, including: Sasha Hoenie ’26 as Poirot, the detective charged with determining who committed the crime; Anthony Fraser ’26 as Bouc; Madeline Spraul ’28 as MacQueen; Jada Greenlee ’28 as Michel; Julius Hobbs ’29 as Arbuthnot; Félix Juárez ’29 as Ratchett, the victim; Kathryn Bornhoeft ’28 as Mary; Clara Webster ’26 as Princess Dragomiroff; Cecily Rojas ’29 as Countess Andrenyi; Meredith Wynn ’26 as Greta Ohlsson; and Reid Goad ’28 as Waiter.
Current Scots aren’t the only stagehands making “Murder” happen. Olivia Cameron ’25 and Aaliyah Bowman-Raucci ’25, both of whom graduated last May, have returned to take on roles as assistant director and stage manager, respectively. In addition, the production will serve as the Senior Study by Ian Bailey ’26, whose work on the set has been invaluable, Carnes said. An integral part of the MC experience, the Senior Study gives students an opportunity for a deeper dive into their respective majors, often through faculty-guided research and experiential learning.
“As someone who does both the acting and the technical side, I think the hard work of the crew can sometimes get overshadowed by the actors,” she said. “Many audience members aren’t aware of just how many hours go into creating what’s on stage and the technical skill needed to make it happen.”
For Sayer, a theater veteran, the collective wit and individual talent, as well as the students’ dedication to the production’s collaborative spirit, impressed her even before rehearsal began, she said.
“From the auditions and our pre-rehearsal conversations, I have been so impressed by the thoughtfulness and intelligence of the cast as a whole,” she said. “There’s an eagerness to be part of the team that I also really love.”
Carnes, meanwhile, described her role as Helen as both a dream and a challenge.
“She is incredibly flamboyant and flirtatious,” Carnes said. “However, she also serves as the brains of the operation … so I’m playing an actress who’s acting a part. Very meta.”
Beyond the mystery’s twists and turns, Carnes believes the story’s historical context still resonates, given similarities between the geopolitical dynamics then and now. That doesn’t mean there’s any sort of inherent political statement in the play, but it’s not difficult to see parallels between the influences on Christie’s work and today’s headlines.
“Agatha Christie was writing her novels on the brink of World War II as she watched the countries she loved strain under the building pressure of conflict,” she said. “Certain moments of this script feel as prescient now as they did back in 1934.”
For Sayer, the opportunity to sink her teeth into a classic murder mystery, especially one so well-known and ubiquitous with the genre, is a chance to build a show that, despite its grim subject matter, still leaves audience members satisfied and entertained.
“‘Murder on the Orient Express’ isn’t a play you’d likely study in your theater literature coursework, but it’s still a great play that audiences love!” she said. “In the cold and gray days of winter, cozying up to a favorite whodunit … is one of life’s great joys.”
“Murder on the Orient Express” will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Feb. 12 and 13; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15. Tickets are $12.50, but Maryville College faculty, staff and students will be admitted for free.
