In Memory of Sabri Berisha Every production has people who work quietly behind the scenes. Sabri was one of ours. He gave his time, his hands, and his boundless positivity to everything we did. This production is dedicated to his memory, with gratitude and love.
THANK YOU Behind every great journey is a crew of remarkable people. The Murder on the Orient Express production team would like to express its deepest thanks to the following individuals and families for their time, talent, generosity, and countless volunteer hours, which carried this production from the station to the stage. Your support behind the scenes was the clue that solved every puzzle, and we truly could not have reached our final destination without you. Kathy Tom Larry Tom Michael Bruno Anita Jones Ponny Cavanagh Mike Cavanagh Chris Taylor Jennifer Eichholtz Heidi Kobata Janelle Gallagher
Lisa Titi Amanda Mihelich Emily Liu-Elizabeth Byron Alvarez Inga Klingauf Luna DeCurtis Melanie Chipman Veronica Ortiz Sonja Edelsten Andrew Edelsten
Julie Read Howard Read Dawn Lyle Pujana Shakya Stephanie Neustadter Susan Alexander Kelly Klotzbach Jake Klotzbach Rachael Beaulieu Benny Sorensen
We extend our deepest gratitude to the Oakwood staff and faculty, whose dedication and contributions kept this production on track. Dr. Cameron Helvey Ted & Michelle Helvey Isaac Berniker Melissa Goulart Nicole Bayley
Skye Taylor George Gomez Tere Casey Melissa Barrow Stephanie Salinas
JR Gomez Michael Lyle Dr. Muhammad Sedik Dave Clink Malina Prudencio
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR BACKSTAGE BENEFACTORS For their generous donations of lumber, paint, and tools used to build our set, Oakwood’s Performing Arts Department would like to thank: The Taylor Family The Slabaugh Family The Titi Family Mission Bell
Act 1 Scene 1: Inside the Armstrong Home, Winter 1930
Scene 2: Tokatlian Hotel Dining Room, Istanbul, December, 1934 Scene 3: Train Platform, Istanbul Station
Scene 4: Dining Cars, Day one on Orient Express Scene 5: Sleeping Compartments Scene 6: Dining Cars Scene 7: Lounge
Scene 8: Sleeping Compartment
Scene 9: Hallway Corridor and Sleeping Compartments, the next morning Scene 10: Dining Cars
Act 11 Scene 1: Sleeping Compartment Scene 2: Hall Corridor Scene 3: Dining Car
Scene 4: Hall Corridor
Scene 5: Dining Car, Day 3
Behind The Scenes Director of Theater Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Colleen Blanchard
Producers/House Managers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kelli Frazer, Macy Sorensen Technical Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Skye Taylor Student Directors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Calla Cavanagh, Brennan Klotzbach Stage Managers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Luke Titi, Brendan Lyle
Set Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Luke Titi Set Project Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brendan Lyle
Assistant Stage Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Charlie Wagner Props Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Melinda Duong Lead Lighting Designer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tanner Ota
Sound Board Operator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Miles Calvert Backstage Tech Crew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Calvin Alvarez, Brayden Barlics, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .Gio Mazzucco, Brady Kurimoto, Benno Klingauf
Master Carpenters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . Larry Tom, Mike Cavanagh, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Chris Taylor, Michael Bruno Costumer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kathy Tom Student Costumers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Saidee Avila, Rena Singh
Costume Assistants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jennifer Eichholtz, Ponny Cavanagh
Detail Painter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Janelle Gallagher
Scenic Painter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Inga Klingauf
Set Painters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dawn Lyle, Kia Jones, Rena Singh, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kathryn Beaulieu, Ronan Casey, Kelli Frazer, Travis Blanchard Set Construction . . . . . .Colleen Blanchard, Travis Blanchard, Larry Tom,. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mike Cavanagh, Luke Titi, Michael Bruno, Chris Taylor, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Brendan Lyle, Calvin Alvarez, Byron Alvarez,. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Ronan Casey, Dawn Lyle, Hamilton Blanchard, Kathryn Beaulieu, Vanessa Hocevar Tabuchi, Rena Singh
Props . . . . . . . . . . . . Colleen Blanchard, Macy Sorensen, Travis Blanchard, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Melanie Chipman, Brennan Klotzbach, Melinda Duong Speech Coach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . Luna DeCurtis
Vocal Cameos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Madame de Bree, Dr. Hammerbeck Videographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rob Cohen, Charlotte Berisha, . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Chris Taylor, Andrew Edelsten Photography. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tere Casey
Secret Cast Hercule Poirot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hana Cohen Monsieur Bouc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sthanika Rahool Mary Debenham. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kia Jones Hector MacQueen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Maxwell Josef
Michel the Conductor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jasper Jiang Princess Dragomiroff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kathryn Beaulieu
Greta Ohlsson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Naya Alhasan
Countess Andrenyi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Claudia Read Mrs. Hubbard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Natalia Cervantes Chavez Colonel Arbuthnot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Aakash Shakya Samuel Ratchett. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Noah Morgan
Head Waiter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nick Nie
Truth Cast Hercule Poirot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Joseph Taylor Monsieur Bouc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .Ria Deshpande Mary Debenham. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Vanessa Hocevar- Tabuchi
Hector MacQueen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Henry Mihelich Michel the Conductor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jett Alexander
Princess Dragomiroff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Caitlyn Wagner
Greta Ohlsson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anna Bryksa Countess Andrenyi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gabby Gomez
Mrs. Hubbard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kelly Kobata
Colonel Arbuthnot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ryan Williams Samuel Ratchett. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Noah Morgan
Head Waiter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nick Nie
All Aboard: Our Cast Hana Cohen (‘27) Hercule Poirot
Hana is a senior and is very excited to play Hercule Poirot for her final play at Oakwood. Hana has performed in many previous Oakwood productions, like Denise in last year's The Play That Goes Wrong, and other productions outside of Oakwood. Other than being in theater, Hana is a tap, jazz, and ballet dancer. She also enjoys songwriting and plays the piano, guitar, and drums. Hana thanks her family and friends for coming to the show! What better way to spend a pleasant evening together?
Gabby Gomez (‘27) Countess Andrenyi
Gabby is excited to be part of Oakwood's production again! She has previously played roles like Mary Colleymore in The Play That Goes Wrong and Mrs. Brown in Between the Lines. Gabby has enjoyed every bit of her experience here on the Oakwood stage. In her free time, she enjoys doing arts and crafts, editing, and spending time with her friends and family (especially Kia Jones). Gabby would like to thank everyone who watches the show and hopes you enjoy it!
Kia Jones (‘27) Hercule Poirot
Kia is a 17-year-old senior, and she is so excited to be playing Mary Debenham in Murder on the Orient Express! You might've seen Kia in other Oakwood productions since 2022, such as Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins Jr., Sandra in The Play That Goes Wrong, and Grace McPhee in Between the Lines. You might've also seen her as Kaylee in SVCT's The Prom or in CMT's Legally Blonde! In her free time, Kia loves to play music, sing (@kia.sings on TikTok), crochet, make art, and play tennis. Enjoy the show!
Maxwell Josef (‘27) Hector MacQueen
Maxwell is a senior at Oakwood and has been with Oakwood's theater department all four years of high school. He has previously appeared in performances such as The Play That Goes Wrong (Max Bennett) and Between the Lines (Troll) with Oakwood, and has appeared in outside productions such as SVCT's Mean Girls (Mr. Duvall) and CMT's Legally Blonde (Ensemble). He would like to thank everyone who has helped him along the journey and hopes you enjoy the show!
Kelly Kobata (‘27) Helen Hubbard
This is Kelly's last play with Oakwood, and she could not be more excited that it's also her 31st show! In the past, Kelly has played Sandra in The Play That Goes Wrong, Chicago Trio in Footloose, Lucy in Narnia, and so many more at OPVA. She can't wait to play the odd character Mrs. Hubbard for her senior year! Outside of theater, she enjoys baking, volunteer work, and medicine. She hopes to pursue a career in pediatric nursing after graduation and strives to share the same passion she's developed in theater with all of her future endeavors.
Nick Nie (‘27) Head Waiter
Nick is excited to be making his official stage debut in this production. Although he has participated in Monologue Night before, performing in a full play for the first time has been both nerve-wracking and exciting. Since coming to Oakwood, Nick has been grateful for everyone who has supported and helped him along the way. He especially wants to thank all of his fellow cast members and teachers for their encouragement, patience, and guidance throughout rehearsals.
Claudia Read (‘27) Countess Andrenyi
Claudia is a senior at Oakwood. Some of her favorite past roles at Oakwood include the White Witch in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Denise in The Play That Goes Wrong, and Ms. Winx in Between the Lines. She was also in Rent and Frozen at CMT. Among her passions are horseback riding, marine biology, language learning, music, and theater. She also loves spending time with her friends and family. She would like to thank all those who support and inspire her. Köszönöm, hogy eljöttek! Enjoy the show!
Aakash Shakya (‘27) Colonel Arbuthnot
Aakash is a senior who has been at Oakwood since 7th grade, and he's excited to be playing Colonel Arbuthnot in his final Oakwood production. Some of his favorite past roles include Chief Tui in Moana Jr., Oliver Rivers in Puffs, and George in Mary Poppins Jr. Outside of theater, he enjoys robotics, badminton, and spending time with family. After graduation, Aakash hopes to study computer engineering. He is grateful for all the memories he has made in Oakwood theater over the years and thanks his family, friends, and castmates for their support!
Jett Alexander (‘28) Pierre Michel
This is Jett's acting debut! After working tech for The Play That Goes Wrong and Between the Lines, he is thrilled to finally step into the spotlight as Pierre Michel and see the process from a whole new side. Outside the theater, Jett is the founder and president of Oakwood's Powerlifting Club and a national powerlifting champion. He'd like to thank his parents for always supporting him. He wouldn't be here without them. Enjoy the show!
Anna Bryksa (‘28) Greta Ohlsson
Anna is excited to make her Oakwood theater debut as Greta Ohlsson in Murder on the Orient Express. As an International student from the Czech Republic, Anna loves trying new things, and joining theater is a completely new experience for her. She is excited to step out of her comfort zone and take on a role in the production. She has always been a creative person and loves music, playing the piano, traveling, and hiking. Anna is very grateful to her parents for making her exchange year possible.
Natalia Cervantes Chavez (‘28) Helen Hubbard
Natalia is excited to be a part of her 4th Oakwood production as Mrs. Hubbard! This role is a perfect blend of characters she's played before: a sassy mermaid in Between the Lines and a comedic old person in The Play That Goes Wrong. When she is not practicing lines, she is improving in volleyball, flying in cheer, and working hard in her classes. She wants to thank her parents for allowing her to do so much and for driving her to all the rehearsals that allowed her to put on a version of Mrs. Hubbard that she is proud of!
Ria Deshpande (‘28) Monsieur Bouc
Ria is 16 years old and is in 11th grade. This will be her 10th theatrical performance at Oakwood, including Moana Jr., Puffs, Mary Poppins Jr., The
Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Newsies Jr., The Canterville Ghost, Footloose, Between the Lines, and The Play That Goes Wrong. Her hobbies are swimming, classical dance, reading, and art. Her favorite sports are basketball and volleyball. Ria gets a lot of support and love from her friends, family, and dog. She hopes you enjoy the show!
Henry Mihelich (‘28) Hector MacQueen
Henry is a junior at Oakwood School, and he is very excited to be playing MacQueen in Oakwood's fall production of Murder on the Orient Express. Henry has been a part of Mrs. Blanchard's class since 5th grade and has really enjoyed it. Some of his past plays have been The Play That Goes Wrong and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. He hopes you enjoy the show!
Sthanika Rahool (‘28) Monsieur Bouc
Sthanika is so excited to be part of this year's fall play as a member of the cast. She recently played Marina in Between the Lines as well as Chris the Director in The Play That Goes Wrong, and is thrilled to see how this play turns out. When she's off the stage, Sthanika can be found cheerleading, playing Marvel Rivals, or even getting up early to watch F1. Sthanika is so proud of the cast and crew for bringing this play together and hopes that the audience enjoys the mystery laid out on stage!
Joseph Taylor (‘28) Hercule Poirot
Joseph is excited to be back on stage, where he played previous roles such as Edmund in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Weeds in The Canterville Ghost. He has loved the teamwork and effort everyone put into this production and is excited for the audience to see it as well. When not on stage, Joseph enjoys playing video games and basketball with his friends. He would like to thank his friends and family for always being there for him and hopes you enjoy the show!
Caitlyn Wagner (‘28) Princess Dragonmiroff
Caitlyn Wagner ('28) is very eager to make her high school debut on the Oakwood stage! This show has been an exciting challenge and a welcome opportunity to improve her acting skills. In her free time, Caitlyn enjoys performing aerial arts, mainly silks and lyra, and hopes some of that balance will aid her in traversing this incredible set. Caitlyn is very grateful to her family, classmates, friends, and friends of friends for all their help rehearsing lines, accents, and all of the above. She hopes you enjoy the show!
Naya Alhasan (‘29) Greta Ohlsson
Naya Alhasan ('29) has been involved in the theater program for years, with her most recent theatrical performance being in Between the Lines. Naya has worked very hard to help make this show amazing for you all to see and is thrilled to show everyone what the cast and directors put together. Outside of anything theater-related, she enjoys art and music. She has put a lot of effort into this show, has enjoyed being a part of it, and hopes you enjoy the fall play as well!
Kathryn Beaulieu (‘29) Princess Dragomiroff
Kathryn is super happy to be in this year's fall play as Princess Dragomiroff! After being in last year's musical Between the Lines as a member of the ensemble, she has learned a lot about bringing a production to life. She is especially excited about this show because she loves murder mysteries! She wants to thank her friends and family for being super supportive, and she is very excited for the audience to see how much hard work was put into this production!
Vanessa Hocevar Tabuchi (‘29) Mary Debenham
Vanessa is a sophomore who is so excited to be part of her first play this year! She has previously been involved in two Oakwood musicals, Something Rotten Jr. and Between the Lines. She has loved seeing this production come together — from the set and costumes to the accents and all the hard work the cast and crew have put in. Outside of school, Vanessa enjoys baking, making art, and spending time with her friends. She is grateful to everyone who has been involved in bringing this play to life, and she hopes the audience enjoys the show!
Jasper Jiang (‘29) Pierre Michel
Jasper is excited to be on the Oakwood stage for this production! Having appeared in several past performances, Jasper loves exploring new characters, and he can't wait to bring this story to life. Offstage, he is a great basketball player with a true talent for the game. Jasper would like to give a special thankyou to his parents for their love, support, and encouragement. He hopes everyone enjoys the show!
Noah Morgan (‘29) Samuel Ratchet
Noah is excited to be a part of Murder on the Orient Express as Samuel Ratchett. Noah has performed in other Oakwood productions such as Something Rotten Jr. (Brother Jeremiah) and Between the Lines. Outside of school, Noah likes to play golf, piano, and basketball, and listen to music. Noah enjoys spending time with friends and family, and he hopes everyone enjoys the show!
Ryan Williams (‘29) Colonel Arbuthnot
Ryan is excited to make his high school theater debut as Colonel Arbuthnot in Murder on the Orient Express. Ryan is outgoing, always ready to perform, and enjoys playing basketball when he's not on stage. He is grateful to Mrs. Blanchard and directors Calla and Brennan for making this experience so memorable. He hopes the audience enjoys the mystery, drama, and surprises along the way!
Welcome Aboard: Theater I Station Managers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Io Nikas, Gabriella Young Platform Attendants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Akshara Avinash, Emma Taylor, . . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Emily Edelsten, Kensley Barlics, Keira DeRosa, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Matt Carlson, ..Carlos Perez, Prabhjit Dhillion
Lights, Signals, and Overhead Crew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Anwita Appenini, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Akshara Avinash,. Kensley Barlics, .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sophie Cai, Emma Taylor Actors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Emily Edelsten, Nicholas Kranz, Serena Nguyen
The Railway Crew
Giovanni Mazzucco (‘27) Set Construction & Tech Gio is excited to make his theater debut as a member of the set construction crew. Gio has enjoyed making the foundation for the production for all to enjoy. Working on this year's set has been especially incredible for him, as it is unlike any set he has seen before. When not backstage, Gio spends most of his time building model kits and enjoys reading and hiking in the woods. Gio is proud of everyone working on the production, is glad to be part of it, and hopes the audience will be equally proud.
Calvin Alvarez (‘28) Set Construction & Tech
Calvin Alvarez ('28) is excited to be a part of Murder on the Orient Express! He has teched for multiple shows in the past, but his favorite show was The Play That Goes Wrong in 2025. Calvin has enjoyed the process of building this show's set, especially designing and building the bar. When not sorting props or doing construction, Calvin can often be found gaming, camping, running, playing Dungeons & Dragons, or practicing knife fighting. He's extremely grateful to everyone who has come to see the show, and hopes they enjoy the performance!
Brayden Barlics (‘28) Tech
Brayden is doing his 3rd year in tech. Prior to Oakwood, he was in many shows, including Grease and Rock of Ages. He is super excited for this show. Outside of theater, he likes playing hockey and sleeping. He hopes the audience enjoys the show!
Jonathan Kranz (‘28) Set Construction
Jonathan is excited to make his debut as a tech after acting in all musicals since freshman year. Jonathan has really enjoyed the opportunity to work behind the scenes, and especially to help with both lighting and the turntable. Outside of the theater, Jonathan enjoys hiking, rock climbing, and playing various sports outside with his brother, who is making his stage debut on monologue night! He really hopes you enjoy the show and admire the amazing technical work seen on stage!
Tanner Ota (‘28) Lead Lighting Designer
Tanner is excited to be on the tech crew for such an incredible technical play. In the past, Tanner has worked on Oakwood productions Between the Lines, The Play That Goes Wrong, and Newsies Jr. Outside of the tech crew, Tanner enjoys playing and watching many sports, especially basketball, and hanging out with friends and family. He wants to thank them for all their support, and he hopes you enjoy the show!
Charlie Wagner (‘28) Assistant Stage Manager
Charlie is very grateful to be back on set for Murder on the Orient Express! Last year, he worked on the sets of The Play That Goes Wrong and Between the Lines. He likes playing basketball, and mathematics is his favorite subject. He hopes you enjoy the show!
Student Conductors Co-directors Calla Cavanagh and Brennan Klotzbach guide the production on stage, while stage managers Luke Titi and Brendan Lyle keep everything on track behind the scenes. Luke and Brendan also led the design and construction of the show’s rotating set, a testament to their ingenuity, collaboration, and teamwork.
Calla Cavanagh (‘27) Student Director
Calla, a senior, is very excited for the production of Murder on the Orient Express! Calla aspires to be a director in the future and is so grateful for the chance to direct the fall play with her amazing friend and co-director, Brennan! They have both worked very hard on the show and are so excited for the final piece! Last year, Calla got the chance to play one of her favorite roles so far, Annie, in The Play That Goes Wrong. She also made her directorial debut with the Oakwood fall play, Radium Girls, during her sophomore year. Outside of theater, Calla is also Co-Captain of the Girls Varsity Tennis Team at Oakwood, where she helped the team finish first in their league this year! She also loves to dance, read, and hang out with her friends. Calla hopes you enjoy the show!
Brennan Klotzbach (‘28) Student Director
Brennan is thrilled to be directing her first show at Oakwood! Some of her favorite past roles include Inspector in The Play That Goes Wrong, Maggie in A Chorus Line, and Cat in the Hat in Seussical. Her favorite past leadership roles include Dance Captain for Mean Girls with SVCT and Student Choreographer for Between the Lines with OPVA. She thanks her phenomenal co-director, Calla Cavanagh, for her guidance and incredible contributions to this production—she couldn't have done it without her!
Brendan Lyle (‘27) Set Project Manager & Stage Manager
Brendan has been a part of Oakwood Theater since The Wizard of Oz production. Since then, he's enjoyed being involved in the creative and collaborative process that brings each show to life. He's especially excited to be working on this production because of its unique rotating set, which has added an interesting technical challenge to the show. One of his favorite parts of working on this production has been seeing the collaboration between the theater, engineering, and physics departments. Bringing those different areas together has made the process especially rewarding and has given Brendan a chance to see how creativity, design, and problem-solving can come together onstage. He looks forward to seeing it all come to life in the final production.
Luke Titi(‘28) Set Designer & Stage Manager
This is Luke's 13th year at Oakwood, and his 6th year doing tech and 4th year stage-managing for the school. Luke has worked tech for many Oakwood performances, most recently Footloose, The Play That Goes Wrong, and Between the Lines. He enjoys computer science and engineering classes, along with a wide range of sports — basketball, golf, mountain biking, and especially skiing, which he does competitively almost every weekend. He hopes you enjoy the show . . .and that nothing breaks!
Head Conductors Colleen Blanchard, Director of Theater Arts Colleen is the Upper School Drama teacher and Performing Arts Head at Oakwood School where she has had the joy of collaborating with a dedicated cast and crew and a talented group of student designers to bring Murder on the Orient Express to life. With over 25 years of directing experience in Bay Area schools and community theaters, she is passionate about guiding high school performers through the creative process. With student directors, designers, and the Advanced Theatrical Production class contributing to the creative vision, the show has become one of the most intricate and ambitious productions the school has brought to the stage.
Skye Taylor, Technical Director Ms. Skye loves being part of Oakwood Performing Arts! The tech crew’s train is beyond imagination, and it was pure joy to watch their hard work bring the Orient Express to life. Ms. Skye has been involved in theater arts in many capacities for most of her life, and she is a performing arts fan for life. This talented cast, phenomenal student directors, amazing stage crew, and stellar tech booth crew have worked intensely and will be incredible, as always. Thank you to Mrs. Blanchard for fostering excellence in the arts!
First-Class Finishing Touches
Saidee Avila (‘28) Hair, Makeup, Costumes, Video
Saidee Avila is so excited to be helping out with tech for this show! Although she is usually onstage, she was thrilled to help out behind the scenes. Past favorite roles include Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, Olive in Spelling Bee, Diana in A Chorus Line, Anna in Frozen, and Eurydice in Hadestown. Outside of theater, Saidee enjoys hanging out with friends, shopping, and voice coaching children.
Rena Singh (‘29) Makeup, Costumes, Props
Rena is so excited to be part of the Fall Play as a member of the makeup and costume crew. While she has been onstage for Oakwood productions in the past, she is equally excited to be helping behind the scenes this time around. Outside of theatre, Rena enjoys painting, playing the piano, and reading. She is incredibly grateful to her friends for always supporting her, and she hopes you enjoy the show!
Digital Program & Show Photos
Thank you to Our Community Partners