Student Voice

King Philip Regional High School’s production of “Murder on the Orient Express” brought together cast and crew to stage Agatha Christie’s classic mystery in the Grady auditorium, with performances taking place May 1-3. 

Stage manager Pearl Babbitt said the role required ongoing planning and communication with those involved in the production. 

“Stage managing requires a lot of planning. It requires a lot of talking as well,” Pearl said. “Making sure you’re connecting with every single person who is a part of this and listening to other ideas.”

She added that maintaining focus and organization during performances was one of the more challenging aspects of the role, noting the difficulty of keeping track of everything while occasionally making split-second decisions.

Actor Liam Derfler-Murphy said the production relied heavily on coordination between cast and crew. 

“This show relies so much on tech elements, especially in lighting and set, but also through props and sound, which made every line and movement so much more important to get right,” Derfler-Murphy said. 

He added that the final scene in particular required close timing between cast and crew, stating that “it was both challenging but also fun having to line everything up perfectly with each other, and it really added to my job as an actor.” 

Director Courtney Bottomley said the production required balancing artistic goals with technical confines throughout the rehearsal process. 

“There were certain things written into the script that had to happen,” Bottomley said. “Once I identified those, it was a matter of remaining flexible with what I wanted versus what we as a tech crew could accomplish.” 

Bottomley echoed Derfler-Murphy’s point that timing between actors and technical elements became a major focus during rehearsals.

“We had a lot of sound cues that were linked with dialogue and lighting cues that needed to be incredibly precise,” Bottomley said. “Because of our schedule, actors do not typically run through these elements until the week of the show.”

Technical director Joseph Ferreira said the production required adapting existing stage materials to create a functioning revolve while working within time and space limitations.

“We assumed we’d be using all eight of our already existing 4’ x 8’ platforms,” Ferreira said. “We had to make sure that the walls were braced sufficiently to keep them upright through multiple turns.”

Ferreira also noted that the revolve required extensive testing and rehearsal before performances began.

“Getting the 40+ casters to both spin and rotate on cue required considerable use of lubricants and many hours of practicing by the tech staff assigned to the revolve for the show,” Ferreira said.

Both cast and crew members said audiences rarely see the coordination required to keep the production running smoothly.

“I think audiences don’t realize how much effort really gets put into all of this,” Babbitt said. “People don’t see the months of planning, the months of redrawing blueprints, the conversations that need to be had but also the amount of passion put behind this.”

“There’s so much going on that’s hidden from the audience,” Derfler-Murphy added. “All they see is a seamless show on the stage.”

Nathan O’Sullivan, who served backstage as assistant stage manager, described backstage during performances as highly coordinated.

“Meticulous planning and coordination goes into each piece that’s visible in every scene,” O’Sullivan said. “During the 30-60 second transitions, about 15 large pieces of furniture, 4 rolling walls, many props, and the platform itself had to be moved.”

He said the experience ultimately stood out because of the people involved. 

“Honestly, the people,” O’Sullivan said. “Directing the technical aspects of the show with Pearl was such a privilege, and everyone else that’s involved in the program that we got to work alongside truly made the show what it was.”

“We were getting really exhausted, but we still loved what we were doing and we always pulled through,” Babbitt said. “It’s those kinds of memories that, when I graduate, I’m going to think about.”

Derfler-Murphy similarly said the people involved in the production ultimately mattered more than the performance itself.

“For me, drama is far more about the people in it than the show itself,” Derfler-Murphy said. “I’m so glad that this show brought me so much closer to such amazing people.”