Dial M for Murder

In This Program

• About the Show
• Credits
• Milestones: Million Dollar Musician, James “Rif” Reif
• A Note from Adam Immerwahr, Artistic Director
• Who’s Who
• Dial T for Thriller
• Sponsor Spotlights
• Putting the Jersey Back in Jersey Boys
• Print Edition
• More About Village Theatre

About the Show

ADAM IMMERWAHR, Artistic Director

DEREK WATANABE, Managing Director

Adapted by 

Jeffrey Hatcher 

From the original by 

Frederick Knott

Originally commissioned and produced at The Old Globe

Barry Edelstein, Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Timothy J. Shields, Managing Director

Francis J. Gaudette Theatre
January 21 – February 23, 2025

Everett Performing Arts Center
March 1–23, 2025

Set Designer
PAIGE HATHAWAY

Costume Designer
IVANIA STACK

Lighting Designer
CONNIE YUN

Sound Designer
MEGHAN ROCHE

Stage Manager
RUTH EITEMILLER*

Director
ADAM IMMERWAHR

“Dial M for Murder (Hatcher)” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf on Samuel French, Inc. Concordtheatricals.com

The videotaping or making of electronic or other audio and/or visual recordings of this production and distributing recordings or streams in any medium, including the internet, is strictly prohibited, a violation of the author(s)’s rights and actionable under United States copyright law. 

Season Sponsors

Artsfund
Boeing
Microsoft
Hook & Cleaver | Lombardi's Italian Restaurant and Bar

Producing Sponsors

4Culture
Everett, WA
City of Issaquah Arts Commission
Seattle NorthCountry, made possible in part by assistance from the Snohomish County Hotel-Motel Tax Fund.

Show Sponsors

Great American Diner & Bar

Credits

*The Actors and Stage Managers are members of the Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. 

Setting

The living room of the Wendice flat in London, 1952.

Act One

Scene One: A Friday evening in September.
Scene Two: Saturday evening.
Scene Three: Later that night.

Act Two

Scene One: The next morning.
Scene Two: A few months later. Afternoon.

There will be one 20-minute intermission.

Special Thanks

Rod “Red” Gibson, Christie Lites Seattle
Chelsey Sheppard 
Totem Lake Shoe Repair

One drummer has been making music at Village Theatre, in the orchestra pit and onstage, for the past 33 years.

James Reif, nicknamed “Rif,” began his Village Theatre journey in 1991 as a substitute musician in Jungle Queen Debutante. Since then, Rif has performed in 90 shows, his favorites including Dreamgirls, Hairspray, Little Shop of Horrors, The Who’s Tommy, In the Heights, Songs for a New World, and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.

One of Rif’s Village highlights was originating the role of Fluke in Million Dollar Quartet, which featured both his drumming and acting skills. He was asked to perform in the show for the 2006 Festival of New Musicals and reprised his role for the Mainstage productions in 2007 and 2019. It was a unique experience for Rif as the musicians were on stage as part of the ensemble.

“As a theatre musician, you are mostly hidden from the audience, so having the opportunity to be on stage as one of the characters was amazing,” said Rif. “It was such a joy having the audience dancing in the aisles at the end of each performance.”

Working at Village Theatre also shaped a significant part of Rif’s life: when he was hired to play in his second Village show, Anne of Green Gables (1991-1992), he met his now wife Jennifer Hoefert, who played Anne. They have been married for over 30 years and have two grown children, Lucas and Jack. “Our life has often been centered around the theatre, and the theatre has inspired our life,” he said.

Rif is looking forward to the upcoming production of Jersey Boys this spring, another show where the musicians will be onstage alongside the cast. “Being in the live band on stage for Million Dollar Quartet was an incredible experience—and now I get to relive that joy in Jersey Boys.”

Dear Patrons,

I simply love stage mysteries and thrillers. These twin genres require us as an audience to lean forward in our seats and engage fully with the story on the stage. In mysteries, we’re actively trying to solve a crime before the time runs out; in thrillers we’re watching to see if the worst horrors we anticipate may be forestalled. They both allow us to practice how we should watch every show—inquisitive, involved, and detail-oriented. And they’re (hopefully!) a ton of fun along the way.

Dial M for Murder is, of course, one of the most famous thrillers of all time—made an instant classic by Alfred Hitchcock’s seminal film. In Hitchcock’s version, one of the central plot points rests on the potential scandal of a character’s extramarital affair being revealed. Today an extramarital affair doesn’t have the same gasp-inducing impact as it did in the 1950’s. In adapting the script for a contemporary audience, Jeffrey Hatcher sought to make sure the suspense and tension of the play remained as strong now as they did when it was first written; he chose to transform a character’s gender to create a same-sex affair, which ramps up the tension of the affair’s exposure even to a contemporary audience. His clever adaptation also introduces even more plot twists and excitement that I can’t wait for you to experience.

Next up at Village Theatre are two modern masterpieces, Jersey Boys and The Color Purple—they’re utterly unmissable. And for our current subscribers: please watch your inboxes because our incredibly popular Early Bird Renewal offer is coming back! This exclusive offer is as good as it gets for five-show subscription ticket prices, so we hope you’ll lock in your seats for next season before we’ve announced next year’s titles. It’s our way of rewarding our most loyal subscribers. Of course, you can always renew—and keep your seats—once we’ve announced the season (but you will miss out on this deal!). Either way, we’d love to see you at Village again soon.

Yours,

Adam Immerwahr       
Artistic Director              

P.S. I always welcome your thoughts about the work at Village Theatre. You can email me directly at adam@villagetheatre.org.

Who’s Who

Cast

ANGELA DɪMARCO, she/her (Maxine Hadley) was last seen at Village Theatre in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, garnering the Sound on Stage Best Supporting Actor Award. Village credits: Crimes of the Heart, The Foreigner, The Importance of Being Earnest. Angela has been acting on stage and screen for 38 years. Pacific Northwest theatres: Seattle Rep, Intiman Theatre, Book-It Repertory Theatre, Theatre22, Repertory Actors Theatre, Seattle Public Theatre, ArtsWest, and Harlequin Productions. Angela is founder, with her husband, of Mighty Tripod Acting Studio and Mighty Tripod Productions. Recent projects: ATrapdoorMovie.com and Metropolis at luxradium.org. Love to her Husband, Moms, Grandma and Bruno.

BETSY MUGAVERO, she/her (Margot Wendice). Seattle theater debut! Betsy recently moved to the Pacific Northwest after 20 years of working as an actor and director in regional theaters across the country. Favorite credits include: 11 seasons at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, six seasons at Great Lakes Theater and Idaho Shakespeare, the Folger Theater, and Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, among others. Former producing artistic director of Southwest Shakespeare Company. Ever thanks to all involved in this production. All my love to Q, A and R.

CALDER JAMESON SHILLING, (Lesgate, u/s Tony) is delighted to be returning to Village Theatre! He was last seen here as Edward Ferrars in Sense and Sensibility. Notable credits include Macbeth in Macbeth (The American Shakespeare Center); Sebastian in Twelfth Night (Aquila Theatre Company); Bertie Wooster in Jeeves Takes a Bow, Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock Holmes and the Precarious Position, Bertie Wooster in Happy Christmas Jeeves (Taproot Theatre Company); Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Wooden O).

RICHARD NGUYEN SLONIKER, he/him (Tony Wendice) last appeared with Village Theatre in Sense and Sensibility. He was recently seen in Happy Christmas, Jeeves (Taproot Theatre). He has performed at the Guthrie Theatre, Merrimack Repertory Theatre and ACT Theatre. Favorite roles include Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice (Book-It Repertory Theatre), Black Beauty in Black Beauty (Seattle Children’s Theatre), and Hercule Poirot in Black Coffee (Taproot Theatre). Video games: Halo Infinite, Guild Wars 2, Destiny 2. MFA from the University of Washington.

R. HAMILTON WRIGHT, (Inspector Hubbard) has been a working actor for over 45 years and in that time has appeared in over 150 professional productions. He is thrilled to be back at Village Theatre for his second show, having previously been seen as Major Metcalf in Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap. Mr. Wright lives in a little brick house in North Seattle with his remarkably talented wife – playwright Katie Forgette.

Understudies

MELANIE GODSEY, she/her (u/s Maxine, u/s Margot) is thrilled to be making her Village Theatre debut! Favorite credits include Alice in The Book of Will, Shelby in Steel Magnolias (Taproot Theatre) and Louise Pommery in The Champagne Widow (Cafe Nordo). She is also a playwright, director, and a producer with The Co-Conspirators. Love to the JRMs.

JONATHAN SWINDLE, he/him (u/s Lesgate, u/s Inspector Hubbard) is thrilled to be making his Village Theatre debut with Dial M for Murder. Recent local credits include: Dracula and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Tacoma Arts Live); A Christmas Carol (Taproot Theatre Company); and Miss Holmes (Latitude Theatre). Jonathan has an MFA in performance from the University of Southern Mississippi. Enjoy the show!

Creative Team

ADAM IMMERWAHR, (Director) is responsible for season selection and also oversees the artistic, education, and production departments. He recently directed Village’s productions of Lerner and Loewe’s Camelot, Ken Ludwig’s Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood, and The Fantasticks. He previously served as Artistic Director of Theater J, the Associate Artistic Director at McCarter Theatre, and the Resident Director of Passage Theatre. Adam’s producing credits include new works by Edward Albee, Christopher Durang, Danai Gurira, Fiasco Theater, Will Power, Stephen Wadsworth, Tarell Alvin McCraney, and Ken Ludwig, several of which have transferred to Broadway or off-Broadway. As a director, Adam’s work has been seen from Aspen to Zimbabwe, including at some of the top theaters in the country: The Public and Theater Row (both for Summer Play Festival), Ensemble Studio Theatre, Walnut Street Theatre, Woolly Mammoth, McCarter Theater, Cleveland Play House, Lyric Theater of Oklahoma, Theater J, Passage Theater, Hangar Theater, Bristol Riverside, and many others. He serves on the Board of the Issaquah Chamber of Commerce and is an inaugural member of the Drama League Director’s Council.

PAIGE HATHAWAY, she/her (Scenic Designer) is a Washington, D.C.-based scenic designer. Previously at Village Theatre, she designed Becoming Dr. Ruth. Regional: Assassins (Arden Theatre Company); A New Brain (Barrington Stage Company); Miss Molly, Juan Garcia (Amphibian Stage); A Distinct Society (Writer’s Theatre). DC Area: Disney’s Frozen (Olney Theatre Center); Little Shop of Horrors (Ford’s Theatre); Hair, Penelope, Rent (Signature Theatre); Sojourners, The Mountaintop (Round House Theatre); The High Ground (Arena Stage).  Paigehathawaydesign.com,
IG: @paigehathawaydesign

IVANIA STACK, (Costume Designer) is making her debut with Village Theatre. She has designed over 300 shows at many regional theatres including: Arena Stage, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Seattle Rep, Baltimore Center Stage, McCarter Theatre, The Wilma Theatre, Everyman Theatre, Ford’s Theatre, The Kennedy Center, Signature Theatre, Round House Theatre, and Theatre J. Ivania has an MFA in design from the University of Maryland and is a member of USA Local 829. ivaniastackdesign.com

CONNIE YUN, she/her (Lighting Designer) is delighted to make her Village Theatre debut. Recent local designs: Blithe Spirit (Seattle Rep); POTUS, Stew, and The Case for the Existence of God (ACT Theatre). Other recent designs: Madison Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Florentine Opera, and Opera Philadelphia. Upcoming designs: La Bohème (Opera Colorado), Elixir of Love (New Orleans Opera), and Tosca (Seattle Opera). Member of United Scenic Artists Local USA 829.
www.connieyun.com

MEGHAN ROCHE, she/her (Sound Designer) is a Seattle-based sound designer and engineer for theatre and themed entertainment. Her theatre design work has been heard at theatres across Seattle, most recently in The Lehman Triology, Wolf Play (ACT Theatre) and This Bitter Earth (Seattle Public Theatre). She holds an MFA in sound design from the University of California Irvine and a BA in theatre from Seattle University.

RUTH EITEMILLER, she/her (Stage Manager) is thankful to be back for yet another show with Adam, having recently worked on Lerner and Loewe’s Camelot and Ken Ludwig’s Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood. Other recent credits around town include The Lehman Trilogy (ACT Theatre), Sanctuary City (Seattle Rep) and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (The 5th Avenue Theatre). Ruth was the recipient of the 2018 Melissa Hines Backstage Award and currently leads the local group SM Collective. @SMCollectiveSeattle

COLLEEN NIELSEN, she/her (Assistant Stage Manager) is excited to spend another Christmas in suspense. This is her 20th year working with Village Theatre. Some favorite credits include: The Passage, The Who’s Tommy, Cats, and Village Theatre’s KIDSTAGE production of Ragtime. The list could go on. This one goes out to AE who’s a rockstar.

ADAM IMMERWAHR, (Artistic Director) See bio on previous page.

DEREK WATANABE, (Managing Director) has served as the Managing Director of Village Theatre since the beginning of the 2024-25 season and oversees the marketing, finance, fundraising, patron services, operations, and facilities areas of the organization. He and Adam work closely together to coordinate the business and artistic sides of the theater to create the best possible product and maximize the experience for patrons, employees, and creative talent alike. Derek has been a long-term champion of Village Theatre, as subscriber (27 years), Board member (15 years), Village Originals member, KIDSTAGE parent, and donor. During his tenure as Board President, he helped lead Village through the construction of the Watjen Technical Studios, the Hunt Family Theatre and the Cope Gillette Theatre.  Originally from Honolulu, Derek moved to the west coast to pursue his bachelor’s and graduate degrees at Pomona College, UCLA, and USC. He and his wife, Anne, have lived in Issaquah for 27 years, where they raised three theater-savvy kids and where their appreciation for the performing arts positively blossomed, thanks to Village Theatre. He can be reached at derek@villagetheatre.org.

The Director is a member of the STAGE DIRECTORS AND CHOREOGRAPHERS SOCIETY, a national theatrical labor union.

All stage work performed by members of IATSE Local 15.

All costume construction and hair/make-up work is performed by employees represented by IATSE TWU Local #887.

All scenic painting work is performed by employees represented by IATSE Local 488.

United Scenic Artists represents the designers and scenic painters for the American Theatre.

The actors and stage managers employed in this production are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.

The theatre operates under an agreement with Local 76-493, American Federation of Musicians, AFL-CIO, representing the musicians.

Village Theatre proudly participates in the Theatre Puget Sound presented Gregory Awards for Excellence in Local Performing Arts.

Dial T for Thriller

By Ellen Morgan Peltz

The plot of a thriller may be difficult to predict, but the reason we love them is simple. It’s right there in the name. Who doesn’t love a good thrill?

Thrillers consistently rank as one of the most commercially successful genres in both publishing and film, according to data from NDP Bookscan and Statistica. The popularity of Frederick Knott’s Dial M for Murder, originally produced as a BBC television program in 1952, is testament to the fact that a good thriller never goes out of style. The play was an instant hit, moving immediately to the stage and then on to Hollywood as an Alfred Hitchcock film in 1954.

In the decades since, Dial M for Murder has been adapted a number of times. In 2022, playwright Jeffrey Hatcher created a new stage version that premiered at the Old Globe Theater in San Diego, CA. Testament to the play’s enduring relevance, Hatcher didn’t change the original setting or structure. Instead, he ratcheted up the stakes by adding a few new twists including changing the character of Max Halliday to Maxine Hadley.

Dial M for Murder needed so little updating because thrillers, in general, rely primarily on suspense to keep audiences engaged. This sets them apart from genres like horror, mystery or science fiction. There are many ways to build suspense in a story, but here are a few of the most common constructs, all of which Dial M for Murder uses effectively.

1. Place the crime in the future:
   One way to build suspense is to set the story around a crime that hasn’t happened yet. This turns the story into a “can-they-do-it?” rather than a “whodunnit,” keeping the audience focused on the tension rather than the surprise.
2. Establish the villain early:
   In thrillers, the villain is usually revealed near the beginning of the story. Often, the villain is the one driving the plot, creating constant tension.
3. Develop strong characters:
   Thrillers focus on characters with complex motives. The more detailed and interesting the characters, the more the audience will care about what happens to them.
4. Share information with the audience:
   Unlike mysteries, where the audience is trying to solve the puzzle, thrillers often let the audience know more than the characters. This makes the audience anxious because they can’t stop the action, even though they see it coming. A good thriller might hide a key detail from both the audience and the characters until the end, delivering a surprise that changes everything.

When done well, as in the case of Dial M for Murder, thrillers allow us to experience danger without actually being in danger, just like a roller coaster gives us the experience of falling without actually allowing us to plumet to our deaths. Because the characters in Dial M for Murder are so relatable, this play also invites us to confront some of our own fears and anxieties along with them, ultimately offering a sense of catharsis.

In the end, thrillers are timeless because suspense is timeless. The given circumstances of a thriller may need to evolve over time – what was high-stakes in one century may not be high-stakes in another. But as the enduring appeal of Dial M for Murder proves, there will always be plenty of people willing to pick up the phone when a thriller is on the line.

ArtsFund is proud to support Village Theatre’s mission as they continue to produce dynamic programming that highlights innovative artists in the Pacific Northwest. ArtsFund’s support of local arts organizations is only possible through the contributions of donors in this community, and we are immensely grateful to the generous individuals and businesses who have supported ArtsFund as well as Village Theatre. We will continue to support arts organizations, like Village Theatre, that elevate the voices of Washington state through our leadership, advocacy, and grantmaking programs. We are excited to see what will be performed throughout this season!

The Boeing Company is committed to improving the quality of life within the communities where our employees live and work. Our Global Engagement programs implement Boeing’s philanthropy through local charitable investments, volunteerism, employee drives, personal giving, disaster response, and other integrated programs. Boeing is proud to be a supporter of Village Theatre’s productions and musical theatre education programs, and we are pleased to welcome you back to live theatre. Enjoy the show!

Microsoft is pleased to sponsor Village Theatre’s 2024–2025 Season, and to welcome you to this production of Dial M for Murder. Village Theatre is a favorite among our employees and their families, and we are delighted to support a vibrant community arts organization that brings high quality entertainment to the Eastside. We encourage employee engagement and volunteerism in the community throughout the year and through support of great organizations like Village Theatre, we aim to foster a strong community culture where the arts will thrive for generations to come. Enjoy the show!

Lombardi’s Italian Restaurants & Catering is honored to be a long-time Village Theatre sponsor! Lombardi’s delights diners at their three locations: at the scenic Everett Marina, the bustling Bellingham Marina, and their newest culinary venture, Hook & Cleaver, in Mukilteo. Date night or any night, experience Lombardi’s classic and contemporary Italian cuisine from all around Italy. Sip your favorite Washington and Italian wines, savor a handcrafted cocktail, or enjoy one of the many local brews with your meal. Village Theatre and Lombardi’s, the perfect pairing!

Putting the Jersey back in Jersey Boys

By Ellen Morgan Peltz

For Village Theatre’s upcoming production of Jersey Boys, set designer Tim Mackabee is reimagining the traditional approach to the show’s visual world, giving Village audiences the chance to experience this beloved show in a fresh, new way. Dramaturg Ellen Peltz sat down with Mackabee to learn more about his design.

ELLEN PELTZ: How well did you know Jersey Boys before coming to this production?

TIM MACKABEE: I have never designed Jersey Boys, but I saw the original Broadway production. It’s the only show that my mother, who hates theater, was really desperate to see, which says something about the power of that music.

EP: What’s it like to design for a well-known show?

TM: Broadway productions often set a template for the visual world of a show, and people tend to riff off that for years. The real opportunity for us with Jersey Boys is trying to start from the ground up, as if we’re doing it for the first time, rather than doing another production of the Broadway version.

EP: Was there an “aha!” moment for you that inspired this show’s design?

TM: Yes! Director Michael Berresse and I asked ourselves “what is New Jersey to us?” and we both said: the New Jersey Turnpike. So we started looking at pictures of the turnpike from the era of the show, knowing that we’d have video and we’d be moving locations with lots of exciting action, which led to us to images of billboards and bridges and levels, and we just took off from there. This music is so meaningful to people on its own, so our goal is to enhance rather than distract from the music. You’ll have to come see it to find out if we succeeded.

Jersey Boys runs March 18 – April 27, 2025 in Issaquah and May 3–25, 2025 in Everett.

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