Wichita Community Theatre stages Agatha Christie whodunit

Whodunit fans will be hearing a lot about a murder on the Nile over the next few months.

Kenneth Branagh will direct and star as durable detective Hercule Poirot in a film version of “Death on the Nile,” scheduled to be released in February.

And Wichita Community Theatre performs a stage version of the Agatha Christie mystery — but this one called “Murder on the Nile” — opening this weekend.

The title change isn’t the only difference, Steve Landes said. He plays the brilliant detective — who is named Canon Pennefather.

“When they adapted the play from the book, they took out Hercule Poirot and put in another character. I don’t know why, but that’s what they did,” Landes said with a laugh. “I guess I’m glad, because I couldn’t have done the accent.”

Mary Lou Phipps-Winfrey, who directs the WCT whodunit, said the stage version of the 1937 novel debuted as “Hidden Horizons,” and then was changed to “Murder on the Nile,” while Branagh resurrects the “Death on the Nile” title.

“All of them have different characters than the previous or the future (versions),” she said.

Phipps-Winfrey has directed “my fair share” of mysteries, and said there are many similarities to directing other genres of theater, but also some differences.

“In a mystery, some of the lines are signals to other characters in the play, so you want them to be said a certain way. People who look at other characters might look at them in another way than they would in a straight play,” she said.

“It takes a little more concentration and organization, because you have to keep things organized in the scene, and maybe you’re pointing out things for the audience,” Landes added. “Or you’re leading them in a different way so it’s not so obvious. You’ve got to keep the audience guessing what’s going to happen.”

Phipps-Winfrey said she was pleased with the look of the show, especially a backdrop created by Wichita artist Richard Davies.

“I wanted a backdrop with an Egyptian character to it,” she said. “He produced this backdrop that’s just gorgeous. It’s exciting and gave the show the look I was hoping for.”

“Murder on the Nile,” which continues through Oct. 24, has a cast of 12, which Phipps-Winfrey said was sometimes difficult to organize on stage.

Many in the cast, she said, are newcomers or veterans playing roles that break the mold for the types of characters they normally play.

“I’m hoping it might stretch them, give them a character they might not be used to playing,” she said. “We like to invite people in and find their niche, whether it’s technical or publicity or marketing, fundraising, acting or directing. I try to choose new people for my plays, even if they’re coming in a little raw.”

“Murder on the Nile”

When: Through Oct. 24; performances at 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays

Where: Wichita Community Theatre, 258 N. Fountain

Tickets: $11 for Thursdays; $15 adults, $13 students/military/seniors (60-plus) by calling 316-686-1282