Your Theatre opens in newly renovated Steeple Playhouse. Here's what's different.
NEW BEDFORD -- The train is about to leave the station as Your Theatre prepares to open it first production "Murder on the Orient Express," in the newly renovated Steeple Playhouse on Nov. 17.
"We really wanted to come out with the first show being something that people even a casual theater goer would recognize," said Eric Paradis, director and board member of Your Theatre, Inc. in New Bedford.
Paradis said the Board of Directors of Steeple Playhouse wanted to make a big splash in their first season, and selecting Agatha Christie's "Murder on the Orient Express," seemed to get everyone excited.
According to a description of the play on Your Theatre's website, just after midnight, a snowdrift stops the Orient Express in its tracks. The luxurious train is surprisingly full for the time of the year, but by the morning it is one passenger fewer. An American tycoon lies dead in his compartment, stabbed eight times, his door locked from the inside. Isolated and with a killer.
"We really wanted the public to have a show that they were like, oh, even a casual theater goer would say 'Oh yes, I recognize that show' and go and check it out because they they have a basis for what it is to Agatha Christie," Paradis added.
Moving into the new venue
After nearly a decade of waiting for the new space in the First Baptist Church on William Street to be ready, the time has finally come this Friday.
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"We've got a much bigger house. We can fit almost twice as many patrons in our audience as we have in the past," Paradis said. "There isn't a bad seat in the house, we have brand new bathrooms that are easily accessible, we've got brand new lighting and more lighting than we've ever had."
Paradis said director Lawrence R. Houbre, Jr. was excited about the new show as it was a great opportunity to show off the new space with more expansive set pieces.
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"The set pieces move on stage in front of you, transforming from one scene to the next," Paradis said, adding that they've made improvements from a technical assessment aspect as well.
What's next in the new space
Next, the theater is producing "A Doll's House Part Two," the Tony Award winning sequel to the famous Henry Gibson show, in January. "It is quite an interesting story that is set 15 years after the original Doll's House," Paradis added.
Paradis and his wife Caroline Paradis played the couple in the original production 15 years ago at Your Theatre. They are now set to reprise the roles.
"And it's 15 years after in the storyline. So it's a pretty cool story and we can't wait to do it," Paradis added.
This will be followed by a production of "Crimes of the Heart" with a twist and "The Play That Goes Wrong" towards the end of the season.
"We hope that people see that Your Theater can really do something impressive, and doing it in this new space, we hope is going to deliver shows on top because the space is amazing and we're so grateful to be here," Paradis said.
"Murder on the Orient Express" is playing Nov 17-18 and Nov 24-25 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov 18-19 and Nov 25-26, at 2:00 p.m. For ticket reservations call 508-993-0772.
Standard-Times staff writer Seth Chitwood can be reached at schitwood@s-t.com. Follow him on twitter:@ChitwoodReports.Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: 'Murder on the Orient Express' opens Nov. 17 at Your Theatre
