by Lorie Lewis Ham

I have been a fan of Agatha Christie since I was a teenager, so when I heard that Encore Theatre in Tulare was producing her famous play, The Mousetrap, I knew I had to see it. But it also sparked another idea. I reached out to Encore and asked if I could come to one of their performances and talk about mysteries and sign and sell my Tower District Mysteries. They said yes. So at the 2 p.m. matinee performance of The Mousetrap on November 9, I will be doing a brief talk and Q&A about writing mysteries, and about my books, after the show. I will also have copies of both books for sale at that performance.

When asked why Encore had chosen to do The Mousetrap this year, Susan Burley, Vice-President of the Encore board and the Producer of the show stated, “Shanna (Meier) submitted this show along with other submissions for 2025-2026 show selection committee back in October, 2024. Encore was excited to do this because it had been along time since we had an Agatha Christie play and we were excited to work with Shanna.”

Recently, I also chatted with the show’s director, Shanna Meier, about the show!

KRL: Why did you want to direct this play?

Shanna: I have wanted to direct it since seeing it in Cambria 16 years ago. The play kept me guessing and the ending blew me away! Agatha Christie is such a great writer of suspense and mystery, and I love how she connects characters in ways that keep you guessing until the very end.

KRL: For anyone not familiar with The Mousetrap, can you tell us a little bit about it?

Shanna: The Mousetrap was written by Agatha Christie as a radio broadcast in 1947 called Three Blind Mice. It was then written as a play that debuted at the West End in London in 1952 and has been running since. The story centers around a couple who open a guest house outside of London. All the guests were snowed in during a blizzard. A murder happens and the guest must figure out which of them is a murderer.

KRL: Are you an Agatha Christie fan?

Shanna: I am an Agatha Christie fan. She is an expert in mystery and storytelling. Her stories stand the test of time.

KRL: Do you know when this play became available for community theatre?

Shanna: I am not sure when it became available, but I do know that the first performance outside of London was in 1977.

KRL: Any special challenges to directing this play?

Shanna: Some of the props were a challenge, in trying to find period UK things such as an ABC Train guide.

KRL: What have you enjoyed most about directing it?

Shanna: Watching the cast get into their characters and how they’ve made the characters come alive and be believable.

KRL: How much are tickets are where do people purchase them?

Shanna: $20 each @ encoretulare.org or by calling (559) 686-1300

KRL: Dates and Times of the performances?

Shanna:Evening shows @ 7:00 pm November 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22
Matinee shows @ 2:00pm November 9, 16.

KRL: Anything else you would like to add?

Shanna: If you know who the murderer is, do not give it away!

In case you aren’t familiar with my books, here is just a bit about them. You can learn more on my website. I hope to see you at the November 9 performance of The Mousetrap and look forward to talking about mysteries with you!

One of Us (book 1)-
A woman starting over. A gossip website. A handsome playwright with a dark side. A director with an explosive temper. And a murder without a motive. It’s a mystery set in the historic Tower District—Fresno’s dining, arts, and entertainment hub.

One of You (book 2)-
Secrets, gossip, theatre, mystery writers, and murder! A Halloween Mysteryfest. Or is it a murderfest? One author murdered, others attacked. Is the killer writing their own murder mystery in blood? It’s a mystery set in the historic Tower District—Fresno’s dining, arts, and entertainment hub.

If you love local theatre, be sure to check out Mysteryrat’s Maze Podcast, which features mysteries read by local actors. You can find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, and also on podbean.

Check out more theatre reviews & other local entertainment articles in our Arts & Entertainment section. You can also find more theatre coming up on KRL’s Local Theatre event page.

Lorie Lewis Ham is our Editor-in-Chief and a contributor to various sections, coupling her journalism experience with her connection to the literary and entertainment worlds. Explore Lorie’s mystery writing at Mysteryrat’s Closet. Lorie’s latest mystery series is set in the Tower District of Fresno and the world of community theatre! Book 1, One of Us, and Book 2, One of You, are both available to purchase–links on her website.