Alley Theatre kicks off its season with the beloved Summer Chills series
HOUSTON, TX—Tony Award®-winning Alley Theatre and Artistic Director Rob Melrose announce the cast and creative team of Agatha Christie’s The Mirror Crack’d. This adaptation by Rachel Wagstaff marks the first time iconic sleuth Miss Marple has appeared on the U.S. stage. Directed by Delicia Turner Sonnenberg, the filming of a star-studded movie in a quaint English village leads to a chilling murder where everyone is a suspect. This glamourous production marks Elizabeth Bunch’s 100th production as a Resident Acting Company Member.
“Our production of Agatha Christie’s The Mirror Crack’d marks not only the U.S. Premiere of the play, it also marks the very first appearance of Miss Marple on an American stage,” remarked Melrose. “Agatha Christie’s other renowned detective, Hercule Poirot, is famous for traveling the globe. Miss Marple, on the other hand, stays in her small town and relies on the network of relationships she has there. What makes each story new is who comes to her town. In the case of The Mirror Crack’d, it is a Hollywood movie cast and crew that has come to town to film. They bring all the glamour, jealousy, and scandal that comes with being movie stars.”
“Please join me in celebrating Elizabeth’s 100th show as a member of the Resident Acting Company at the Alley.” Melrose continues.
Sonnenberg, known for her boldness and creativity in storytelling, shared her insights on the production, “This glamorous mystery play is layered with twists and turns as our self-appointed detective, Miss Marple, solves the death of a fan-crazed local. Marina Gregg brings Hollywood to the small English town and gives us insight into how fame can have one live in isolation, the decisions working women face when it comes to motherhood, and how minute interactions can manifest your fate. I can’t wait for Houston to be entertained as these characters unpack this crime with humor, style, and grace.”
The cast includes Resident Acting Company Members Elizabeth Bunch as Marina Gregg, Michelle Elaine as Dolly Bantry, Dylan Godwin as Chief Inspector Dermot Craddock, Chris Hutchison as Jason Rudd, Melissa Molano as Lola Brewster, David Rainey as Cyril Leigh, and Christopher Salazar as Giuseppe Renzo.
They will be joined by Susan Koozin (Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None) as Miss Jane Marple, Jamie Rezanour as Heather Leigh, Alexandra Szeto-Joe as Cherry Baker, and Ashlyn Evans as Ella Zielinsky. Understudies include Brandon Hearnsberger, Julia Krohn, and Teresa Zimmermann.
The creative team includes Scenic Designer Paige Hathaway, Costume Designer Nicole Jescinth Smith, Lighting Designer Cat Tate Starmer, Original Music & Sound Designer John Gromada, Assistant Director Amber D. Gray, Fight Director & Intimacy Consultant Alan Brincks, Dialect Coach Vivian Majkowski, Stage Manager Amy Ramsdell, and Assistant Stage Manager Trinity A. Nobles.
ADVANCED PHOTOS: Elizabeth Bunch as Marina Gregg. Photos by Tasha Gorel.
SPONSORS: Alley Theatre is supported by the 2025-26 Season sponsor United Airlines, the official airline of Alley Theatre, and Hampton Inn and Homewood Suites Downtown Houston, the official hotels of Alley Theatre.
TICKETS: Performances begin Friday, July 11 to Sunday, August 17, 2025 in the Hubbard Theatre. Tickets are now on sale, starting at $36. Discounted tickets are available for groups, military, seniors, educators and any student, regardless of age, with a valid ID for designated performances in designated sections. Tickets can be ordered online (alleytheatre.org) or by phone (713.220.5700).
CONNECT WITH US: @alleytheatre, #AlleyMirror, #AlleySummerChills
ABOUT ALLEY THEATRE:
Alley Theatre, one of America’s leading nonprofit theatres, is a nationally recognized performing arts company led by Artistic Director Rob Melrose and Managing Director Dean R. Gladden. The Alley is committed to developing and producing theatre that is as diverse as the Houston community. The Alley produces up to 11 plays and nearly 400 performances each season, ranging from the best current work and classic plays to new plays by contemporary writers. Home to a full-time resident company of actors and expert artisans in all theatre crafts, the Alley engages theatre artists of every discipline – actors, directors, designers, composers, playwrights – who work on individual productions throughout each season as visiting artists.
Alley Theatre performs at the Meredith J. Long Theatre Center which is comprised of two state-of-the-art theatres: the 774-seat Hubbard Theatre and the 296-seat Neuhaus Theatre. The Alley reaches over 200,000 people each year through its performance, education, and community engagement programs.