Stage Write

  A remote country manor, a murderer on the loose, and a blizzard; put them together and you’ve got a classic Agatha Christie story. Beef & Boards opens its 2026 season with The Mousetrap and it is a delight. As the snowstorm worsens, the tension builds and the guests can’t help but question everyone’s alibi. Eddie Curry directs and the story clips along throwing red herrings in every scene. It’s perfectly paced, which should be no surprise as the world’s longest-running play has kept audiences entertained since premiering in 1952 in London. Audience members are famously asked to keep the big reveal a secret so every person who sees the shows gets to experience the twist themselves. The casting is wonderfully done. Newcomer Malia Munley nails the role of Mollie Ralston, the timid guest house owner who finds her inner steel as the danger draws closer. Crowd favorite Jonathan Cobrda was electric as Christopher Wren, a troubled young man who vacillates between whimsical and di...

Thirty years ago, I saw my very first professional musical. I was just a kid, and I was in awe of the performance at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre. That very same show, The King and I, is on stage now and the magic is still there. It may be tinged with nostalgia for me, but the talent on stage is undeniable. I appreciate that the director and theatre acknowledge how complicated the story is. Though it’s a beloved musical, it’s sometimes accused of falling into the “white savior complex” territory. It’s written by two white men in America and inspired by a single woman’s highly-contested account of her time in the country. But director Brian Jose, who is of Filipino descent, prides himself on understanding that complex balance. He focuses on the story of an unexpected friendship and the joy that can come from “Getting to Know You”. He also cast performers from Thailand, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, and the Philippines. All but two of the diverse cast members are making their Beef ...