‘Poirot: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd’ runs through Nov. 5

By Jim Flint for Ashland.news

The bench is deep when it comes to the cast of Oregon Cabaret Theatre’s fall production, “Poirot: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd,” which opened Friday and plays through Nov. 5. Even a supporting actor brings Broadway experience to her role.

Priscilla Quinby plays Caroline Shepherd in the mystery, adapted for the stage by Cabaret co-owner Rick Robinson from “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd” by Agatha Christie.

Before she moved to Ashland in 2000, Quinby played Rose in “The Secret Garden” at the St. James Theater and Mrs. Smith in “Meet Me in St. Louis” at the George Gershwin Theater, both on Broadway.

Her first turn on the Great White Way in 1991 was the result of being in the right place when one of the actors in “Meet Me in St. Louis” was injured on stage. Quinby’s agent arranged a quick audition.

“They needed someone who could sing and dance with a young ensemble and also understudy the older mother of the family,” Quinby said. “I had five days to learn the show and the understudy part.”

She says working on Broadway can be exhausting but also exhilarating.

“During ‘The Secret Garden’ in 1993, we had a joint Christmas party with the cast of ‘Guys and Dolls.’ That was fun!”

Other favorite roles during her time in New York include Julie in “Showboat” and Chelsea in “On Golden Pond.”

A stellar cast

Quinby joins a stellar cast headed by three Oregon Shakespeare Festival veterans: Louis Lotorto as Hercule Poirot, Michael J. Hume as Dr. Shepherd, and U. Jonathan Toppo as Roger Ackroyd/Inspector Raglan.

Other cast members include Noelle Franco (Flora Ackroyd), Elizabeth Gudenrath (Mrs. Ackroyd/Miss Russell), Dan Olson (Major Blunt), Dani Brady (Ursula Bourne and others), Ryan Andrew Feyk (Parker and others), and William Champion (Ralph Paton and others). Todd Nielsen directs.

The novel is regarded as Christie’s best, earning a reputation among many as the greatest mystery novel ever written. What sets it apart from so many others is how the novel builds to its conclusion without the reader being aware of where it’s going. Boiling down that 70,000-word book for a stage play is no small challenge.

Quinby has high praise for Robinson’s work.

“I have loved the adaptations Rick Robinson has done of both the Poirot and Sherlock Holmes stories over the past years,” she said. “He does an excellent job.”

Quinby says she is excited to be a part of a show that features the iconic Belgian detective.

“I have always loved Poirot,” she said. “When I was 17, I moved to Belgium and lived there for four years. I’m fluent in French and am fond of the Belgian culture.”

While living there, she danced with a ballet company led by Maurice Bejart, a noted French-born dancer, choreographer and opera director.

In the murder mystery, Poirot comes out of retirement when his friend, Roger Ackroyd, is found brutally murdered. There’s a locked door, an opened window, and a chair that moves itself. Even for the renowned detective, the truth proves elusive — for a while.

Of course, any exploration of the plot would deprive audiences of the pure genius of it. Suffice it to say that as the play sifts through various clues to determine who committed the murder, it does so by creating equally possible yet impossible culprits from a collection of archetypal characters that will leave audience members guessing, second-guessing and still uncertain of who could have done the dastardly deed — until the very end.

Comic relief

Quinby’s character, Caroline Shepherd, is the spinster sister of Dr. James Shepherd, an Ackroyd family friend who becomes Poirot’s associate upon Ackroyd’s death. A proto-Miss Marple, she runs Dr. Shepherd’s household, provides him with village gossip and is an acute observer of human nature.

It wasn’t uncommon for adult siblings to live together in English villages, even if they were well off. In the book, much of the comic relief comes from Caroline’s attempts to learn as much as possible about the case. Although many of her instincts are wrong, she’s arguably the character who most represents the ideal reader of Agatha Christie mysteries: she’s exceptionally curious and has good instincts about who is and isn’t guilty.

Quinby sees the character as deeper than the novel might portray her.

“Caroline Shepherd is challenging in that it’s tempting to portray her stereotypically as the town gossip and busybody,” Quinby explained. “But I see her as smart, and I’ve always admired a curious mind. I think in a different era she would have had a career in her own right.”

Quinby approaches the role with an open mind.

“I like to have a character on her feet with other actors in rehearsal and allow her to reveal herself to me, rather than make too many choices beforehand,” she said.

Her Broadway experience has always been helpful when she tackles roles.

“I try to carry the discipline of working on high-level projects with me into each project I’m involved with,” she said. “This cast reminds me of working on Broadway in that their level of talent and commitment is very high.”

Second time as Poirot

It will be the second time for Lortoto as Poirot at the Cabaret, having also starred in the company’s 2021 production of “Poirot: Murder on the Links,” also a Robinson adaptation.

There are both challenges and rewards portraying such an iconic character. Just ask Louis Lotorto.

“Of course, there is the huge expectation of the audience as you step onto the stage and utter the first line,” he said. “Two years ago, I could feel it in the air before I spoke.”

Of the many Poirot interpretations, David Suchet’s is Lotorto’s favorite. Suchet played the detective in a series for 25 seasons.

“I would never try to imitate or try to do an impersonation of Suchet in my interpretation,” he said. “But I have followed his lead in terms of the type of details and research he put into his Poirot.”

What about that mustache? Nearly as famous as Poirot himself, it is described by Christie as “upward curled” and, alongside his nose, one of the most visible things about his face. Poirot takes great pride in it. It could be considered one of his superpowers.

Lotorto decided to grow his own “gigantic, immense and amazing” mustache.

“Once I groom the famous extravagant moustache, I feel like I start dropping into the character in a way that wouldn’t be the same if I was applying a fake one,” he said.

Longtime Ashlander

Quinby is a longtime Rogue Valley resident. She was born near Philadelphia and attended high school in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She worked as a singer, dancer and actor for many years before moving to Ashland from Los Angeles in 1978 to make music with her older brother, Jim.

After a stint with OSF in 1984, she moved to New York City for 16 years before coming back to the valley in 2000.

Her Rogue Valley work has included singing with a duo composed of her brother Jim and Paul Jenny, performing as PJQ.

“All three of us wrote original music to sing and we did some covers as well,” she said. “We performed an eclectic mix of jazz, folk and rock.”

She also enjoyed singing with her accompanist husband, the late Bill Leonhart, as well as acting for Next Stage, the Camelot Theatre and Ashland Contemporary Theater.

What would people be surprised to learn about Priscilla Quinby?

“Well, I still do the splits every day!” she said.

Splits are not on the menu in “Poirot: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd,” but the perennial popularity of Agatha Christie’s mysteries promises plenty of engaging twists, turns and whodunit action.

Both matinee and evening performances are offered, and dinner is an option. Tickets are priced from $29 to $49, depending on seating section and show date.

For more information and to purchase tickets, see oregoncabaret.com or call the box office at 541-488-2902.

Reach writer Jim Flint at [email protected].