Director Day announces 'Dial M' cast

Posted: Thursday, June 23, 2011, 1:40pm

Director Michael Day has announced the cast for Dial M for Murder, the Curtain Players production opening the 2011-2012 season on September 9.

Auditions for the Frederick Knott mystery play were conducted June 12 at Gallery 202 in Uptown Westerville. Rehearsals will begin in July.

In this popular 1952 Broadway thriller (later adapted by Alfred Hitchcock into a Hollywood film), former professional tennis player Tony Wendice has married the beautiful Margot for her money and now plans to murder her for the same reason. His efforts to execute the perfect crime are the basis for a tale of mystery and suspense.

Casey Merkey will play Tony opposite Laura Miller as Margot.

John Grote is cast as Max Halliday, an American and writer for a television crime series who has a history with Margot. Patrick Schaefer has the role of Captain Lesgate, a swindler of whom Tony knew when they attended university. Tony Ludovico will play Inspector Hubbard, a very professional and dedicated policeman.

Ludovico and Mary Lynn Hohman will take on unscripted roles as house managers for the production. Tisha Hanley takes another unscripted role as an usherette.

Actors for a couple other roles will be announced.

Curtain Players will present Dial M for Murder September 9-10, 16-18 and 23-25 in the Harlem Road playhouse.

Day has directed Burn This and Arsenic and Old Lace for Curtain Players. He also stage managed Dinner with Friends and Our Town this season. He appeared in Ancient Mariner (a 2010 Playwrights Festival entry), Burn This, and The Passion of Dracula. He is a member of the Curtain Players Board of Directors in the office of treasurer; and he was the 2010 recipient of the Richard D. Near Award, presented to an individual demonstrating "continued dedication to the advancement of Curtain Players." Day also has numerous credits with other Central Ohio theatres, including Emerald City Players, Theatre Daedalus, and Little Theatre Off Broadway.