Do you like a good mystery? If so, mark your calendar for the East Lynne Theater Company's (ELTC) upcoming production of "Dial M for Murder," with 7:00 PM performances Wednesdays through Saturdays from August 1-31, 2024, at the company's current home at 500 Hughes Street in Cape May.

And if you're thinking of Frederick Knott's 1952 stage production or the 1954 film starring Grace Kelly and Ray Milland, directed by the masterful Alfred Hitchcock, think again. This adaptation by Jeffrey Hatcher adds some modern twists to the tale.

Hatcher has incorporated into his suspenseful adaptation," the press release states. "First, the main female character (played by Kelly in the movie) is having an affair with a successful mystery novelist named Maxine (it was Max in the original play; Mark in the movie). Margot's husband, Tony, who is planning to kill Margot, was a tennis pro in the original version, but in this current version, he, too, is a writer of mysteries, though not a successful one. For Tony's character, these changes add intricate and tortuous layers of humiliation with regard to the sexual dynamic between him and Margot, as well as intense jealousy over Maxine's success as a writer."

Larissa Klinger playing Margot and Kieran Danaan in the back playing Lesgate. Photo by Jim Walsh.

"There are two primary updates that Hatcher has incorporated into his suspenseful adaptation," the press release states. "First, the main female character (played by Kelly in the movie) is having an affair with a successful mystery novelist named Maxine (it was Max in the original play; Mark in the movie). Margot's husband, Tony, who is planning to kill Margot, was a tennis pro in the original version, but in this current version, he, too, is a writer of mysteries, though not a successful one. For Tony's character, these changes add intricate and tortuous layers of humiliation with regard to the sexual dynamic between him and Margot, as well as intense jealousy over Maxine's success as a writer."

"These are not random changes," said Craig Fols, the company's artistic director. It is still the hit play people remember, but audiences have changed a lot in the last 70 years," Fols said. The story is clever, but the changes are not gratuitous.

"This is not your grandmother's 'Dial M for Murder," Fols said.

Ezra Barnes, who plays Inspector Hubbard in "Dial M for Murder," agrees. "The women's relationship adds an element of danger," he said. "But it also touches a chord and hopefully says a bit about the fact that some things have gotten better."

Ezra Barnes as Inspector Hubbard. Photo by Jim Walsh.

Barnes has not done a play at East Lynne before, but he has previously performed in Cape May, notably as Sherlock Holmes. And he believes crime plays are exciting for the audience and important for theaters to produce. "They can bind the audience together in a unique way. You don't know if justice will be served. It becomes a shared mission when you're watching a mystery," he said. "This type of play is a key to building a sense of community with the audience."

I asked Barnes how he intends to portray his character. "Hubbard knows what his job is. He's curious and interested but prides himself on how unassuming he is," he said. "I think of him almost like a plumber or a technician of some sort."

"I want to focus on what he is trying to figure out."

The company has had quite a few changes since Fols came on in April 2023. He immediately got to work planning for the company's future, and one of the first things he did was connect with Cape May's City Council, looking to create a mutually beneficial partnership. In May 2023, East Lynne was offered a 25-year lease to utilize Cape May's historic Allen African Methodist Episcopal Church at 717 Franklin Street for future productions. With approval from the church's former congregation, the City of Cape May purchased the c.1850s church after a major fire damaged the interior, the steeple, and the bell tower. The church was deconsecrated due to the extent of the damage, and, as part of the agreement with the city, ELTC was entrusted with being caretakers of the physical structure and preserving the legacy of the Black church and the community that supported it.

"The city is building a new arts district," Fols said. "And the preservation of the building, which is so glorious, is important to people," Fols said. "There is a lot of energy around this project."

Christopher Joel Onken as Tony. Photo by Jim Walsh.

Not only will the renovation bring new life to the old church, but it will also enhance an area of the town that has been somewhat overlooked. The Franklin Street School, once an elementary school for African-American children, is being converted into a public library. And It is adjacent to a street that includes the homes of the Greater Cape May Historical Society and the Harriet Tubman Museum.

East Lynne Theater Company, named for a popular 19th-century melodrama, has been operating since 1980 and currently stages its shows at First Presbyterian Church on Hughes Street. "The Presbyterian Church has been a wonderful partner for the company," Board President Susan Tischler said. "But having our own space will be a game changer." Gone will be the Saturday night stage dismantling in time for Sunday services and the need to work around weddings, funerals, and other church events. And having a dedicated space will allow the company to be more creative with set design and offer a broader range of plays.

In the past, the parameters for selecting works for the stage were clear – to resurrect American plays from the past – and the mission expanded to include contemporary works on American themes. An example is the next show on this season's Mainstage schedule, a new play by Samuel D. Hunter, "A Case for the Existence of God," which opens on September 18th.

"I had seen this play, and a board member urged me to do it," Fols said. "It centers on youngish men who are just trying to be good fathers."

"I was very moved by it."

Fols, while admitting that his job is "still the most challenging thing I have ever done," continues to look forward with enthusiasm. The theme for his first season as Artistic Director was "A New Beginning." For the 2024 season, it was "A New Direction." And the upcoming season will present "A New Perspective."

"East Lynne will always be an American theater," Fols said. "but instead of being dedicated to the American past, we will be a theater dedicated to the American past, present, and future."

East Lynne Theater Company, Cape May, NJ | August 1-31, 2024. Click here for tickets.

Lilly Tobin, who will be playing Maxine.