Tri-State Players to perform two classic shows this summer, one beginning this weekend!

sharonsiegel1954
7 hours ago
4 min read

By Sharon E. Siegel

PORT JERVIS, NY – Tri-State Players will entertain audiences locally with two top notch shows this summer. Both shows will take place at the Minisink Reformed Church Pavilion, 300 Clove Road, Montague, NJ 07827. Opening night for the first of these shows, Agatha Cristie’s Alibi, is this Friday, June 19. The second show, Nancy Drew: The Secret of the Old Clock, opens in July.

Alibi, directed by well-known performer/director Steve Davis, will be presented on June 19, 20, 26, and 27 at 7:30 p.m. Matinee performances will be presented on June 21 and 28, at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $20. Dinner seating is offered for Alibi’s June 20 (6 p.m. seating) and 27 (5 p.m. seating) shows. Dinner/show tickets are $40.

For anyone unfamiliar with the famed Agatha Christie mystery story, Alibi was written 100-years ago this year. Originally named “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd,” the story was adapted two years later for stage and renamed as Alibi, still featuring Detective Hercule Poirot as investigator. Alibi has been performed on Broadway and, called a masterpiece by many, continues to awards through present.

The title word, as defined for the show Alibi, is "so strong, well-documented, and verifiable that it’s impossible to disprove, offering complete protection from suspicion" yet is deemed to be very unlikely so with Poirot on the job.

Show dates for "Nancy Drew: The Secret of the Old Clock" are July 3 at 7 p.m. and July 4 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 each day.

This Nancy Drew show as performed by Tri-State Players is a one-act children’s production based on the first volume in the classic Nancy Drew mystery story series. The Secret of the Old Clock was first published on April 28, 1930 under the pen name of Carolyn Keene—the name used for all Nancy Drew books as authored by multiple writers.

Now, nearly a century later, the book and script are available in public domain and the script has been rewritten as a one-act show by Micah Sweeney. Sweeney, founder of Tri-State Players and a longtime teacher at Delaware Valley School District, was assisted in the writing of the one-act show by Adele Coogan. Coogan is a fifth-grader at New Life School and plays two parts in the local show.

Sweeney said co-authoring came about for the two as he was working on writing the local one-act version of the show. He learned that one of the actresses in the show, Coogan, reads Nancy Drew books and had read this first book in the Nancy Drew series. When asked if she would help make sure the characters are true to who they were in the actual books, she agreed.

“Adele and I collaborated on the characters. She was a big help and offered great suggestions, which we used,” Sweeney said.

Savannah Baumgartner, age 13, plays the part of Nancy Drew in this show. She said she has always wanted to be an actress and performed in shows with Tri-State Players in 2024 and 2025. She is enjoying the part of Nancy Drew and the overall storyline, which she summarized as a search for a missing second Will. If found, this second Will would replace an older first one which was stored in an old clock.

“Nancy hears that there is a second Will, which the family wants to find. Nancy is so excited to find this second Will, which she does find, and wants to see what is in it,” Baumgartner explained.

The actors and actresses involved in both shows, for the most part, have been in past shows with Tri-State Players. Alibi, a well-known classic, is the group’s first full production, which they are very excited about. Nancy Drew is a beloved character that many grew up getting to know through her adventures in the classic series of books.

The cast, crew, directors, and all involved in both shows invite all to come out for a good time with these entertaining local productions. For more information, including ticket information, dates, and times, visit website tristateplayers.org

CAST of The Secret of the Old Clock

Adele Coogan — Grace & Ada Topham

Rachel — Abigail Gruen & Grace Horner

Savannah Baumgartner — Nancy Drew

Sira — Helen Corning, Waitress

Vivica Freeman — Isabel Topham & Caretaker

Ruth Sweeney- Narrator

Nora Alahverdian - Hannah

Ernie Hartnett - Bank Official & Henry Rolfe

Aiden Foss - Carson Drew

Samuel Mitschele-Dauenhauer - Carson Drew & Thief

Aiden Foss - Police Officer & Mr. Topham

CAST of Alibi

Christy Brady – Judith Parker - Ackroyd's family housekeeper

Cecil Elizabeth Alahverian – Mrs. Cecil Ackroyd - Widow of Roger Ackroyd's brother Georgette Vaillancourt – Flora Ackroyd - Ackroyd's niece and Cecil's daughter

Toni Ortiz-Meyers – Major Hector Blunt - Ackroyd's friend and a guest of the household

Ana Baisheva – Ursula Bourne - Ackroyd's parlor maid

Samuel Mitschele-Dauenhauer – Geoffrey Raymond - Ackroyd's personal secretary

Diane Sommer – Caryl Sheppard - Dr. Sheppard's unmarried sister

Craig Patrick Browne – Hercule Poirot - Retired private detective living in the village

Glenn Roselli – Sir Roger Ackroyd - A wealthy businessman and widower

Jonathan Petrick – Captain Ralph Paton - Ackroyd's stepson from his late wife's previous marriage

Jim Kirk – Dr. James Sheppard - Local doctor and Poirot's assistant in the investigation Ernie Hartnett – Inspector Davies - Local police inspector for King's Abbot

Glenn Roselli – Mr. Hammond - The family solicitor

Carly McElhaney – Margot - Poirot's housekeeper

(Glenn Roselli appears in two roles: Sir Roger Ackroyd and Mr. Hammond.)

Alibi Staff

Director — Steve Davis

Artistic Director — Micah Sweeney

Stage Manager & Costumes — Meghan Carlson

Stage Manager & Props — Alexis Foss

Set Chief — Dan Davis

Lighting — Kevin Riker

Video Interview with Sweeney and some of cast members: https://youtu.be/5CJ0Pn9l0F8

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