A luxury train trapped in a snowstorm, a murdered passenger locked in his compartment, and a detective who suspects everyone aboard — that is the setup local audiences will get this October when a Ruskin theater troupe stages Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express. MacBeth & Cheese, a local all-volunteer community theater, is returning with the classic whodunit, adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig, with performances beginning Friday, October 16, 2026.
The production centers on detective Hercule Poirot unraveling secrets, lies and hidden motives among a train car full of suspects, according to Osprey Observer. The story features a luxurious train, a raging snowstorm and a wealthy passenger murdered in his compartment, leaving a killer trapped aboard a stopped train with nowhere to run. The Firehouse Cultural Center describes the premise simply: a luxury train is trapped in the snow, a passenger is found murdered, and everyone aboard is a suspect.
Amy Windle, who is directing the production for MacBeth & Cheese and also serves as the company's co-founder, said bringing Murder on the Orient Express to the stage has been an absolute joy, per Osprey Observer. Her production is staged in partnership with the Firehouse Cultural Center, which is located at 101 1st Avenue NE in Ruskin.
Six Performances Scheduled at the Ruskin Venue
The Firehouse Cultural Center lists a Friday, October 16 performance at 7:30 p.m., with additional evening shows on Saturday, October 17, Friday, October 23 and Saturday, October 24, also at 7:30 p.m. Sunday matinees are scheduled for October 18 and October 25 at 3 p.m., rounding out a six-performance run at the Ruskin venue, according to the same listing.
Osprey Observer's report also notes additional performances beginning Friday, October 30, at Brandon Performing Arts, located at 225 East Brandon Boulevard in Brandon.
A Cast Built From the Company's Playbill
Behind the scenes, Rachel C-Stewart is serving as assistant director and stage manager, according to the company's own playbill published on macbethandcheese.com. On stage, Mitchell Perera plays Monsieur Bouc, Camille Hashem takes on the role of Samuel Ratchett, and Anthony Young appears as Colonel Arbuthnot. The playbill also credits Lianca as Countess Andrenyi and Julian as Hector MacQueen.
The staging follows MacBeth & Cheese's recent run of Murder, Denied, an original Florida psychological thriller also directed by Windle that played at Brandon Performing Arts from Friday through Sunday, September 11-13, Osprey Observer reported. Tickets for that earlier production were available through the MacBeth & Cheese Productions website, and the company's pairing of a Christie classic with an original local thriller shows a troupe working across both familiar and original material this year.
How to Reach the Companies Involved
Those looking for more information can reach MacBeth & Cheese at 813-485-4341 or by email at [email protected], or visit the company's website at macbethandcheese.com. The Firehouse Cultural Center in Ruskin can be reached at 813-645-7651.
