The West Ranch High School intermediate theatre program presents the classic Agatha Christie mystery “Murder on the Orient Express,” opening Thursday, Jan. 29, at 7 p.m. in the high school’s auditorium.

Performances will be held 7 p.m. Jan. 29, Jan. 30 and Jan. 31, with a 2 p.m. performance on Saturday, Jan. 31

Ken Ludwig’s adaptation of this Christie classic boasts all the glamour, intrigue and suspense of the celebrated novel, with a touch of humor to quicken the pace.

The novel, published in 1934, centers around a murder that occurs on a long train ride from Istanbul to Western Europe. A varied collection of travelers, including Christie’s famed sleuth Hercule Poirot, finds the journey interrupted by the murder.

Christie’s popular novel has been made into successful movies twice, the first, “Murder on the Orient Express” (1974) included a star-studded cast directed by Sidney Lumet, featuring Albert Finney as Poirot. The second “Murder on the Orient Express” (2017) was directed by and starred Kenneth Branagh. It spawned several popular film sequeals as well.

“In this show, you’ve got a lot of intrigue and you’ve got a lot of characters,” West Ranch Theatre director Jarod Spradling said. “The thing about whodunits is, they’re fun for both the audience and the performers. And with this one, there’s a lot of playing with accents and a lot of opportunity for melodrama.”

Poirot is played by senior Ella Boyd, who said she’s teaching herself Poirot’s Belgian/French accent by listening to the Harry Potter books read aloud in French.

Ella Kliewer, who plays Greta Ohlsson, is learning a Swedish accent, while other young actors are learning Scottish and Russian accents.

“It’s really fun to see everybody tap into tha, and then to play those different characters that they probably wouldn’t have thought to play, ever,” Kliewer said. “I didn’t think I’d ever be Swedish, and here I am.“

Boyd has the added challenge of working the deeper, more masculine tone of an older male detective into her developing accent, she said.

The production is staged by the high school’s intermediate Theatre II class.

“It has given many younger actors the first-time experience of playing a leading role,” said Boyd.

Boyd said she is using the acting technique taught by the legendary Sanford Meisner for her Poirot characterization, which emphasizes actors aiming to behave honestly under imaginary situations.

“The setting with numerous train cars on the stage is a lot of fun,” she said.

Tickets are available at the door for $12 general admission, $10 seniors/veterans and online (with a $2 discount) at www.westranchtheatre.com.

“Murder on the Orient Express” will be performed by the West Ranch Theatre at the West Ranch High School Auditorium, 26255 Valencia Blvd., Stevenson Ranch, CA 91381.