Fresh off a one-year sabbatical, Rollins College Director of Theatre, Thomas Ouellette, is directing our upcoming production of Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap. Here's a mini-interview with Thomas to give you some insight into the process of bringing this mystery to the spotlight.

Part of our department's philosophy is the need to expose our students to certain kinds of material during the four years at Rollins. For example, a Shakespearean play is usually done every other year. How does The Mousetrap fit into this philosophy?
The playing style for a period mystery piece like The Mousetrap is very specific. It calls for a heightened reality, requiring actors to make theatrical, high-stakes choices that are nonetheless grounded in reality. One cannot "underplay" an Agatha Christie piece. The trick is to hit just the right elevated style: heightened but never cheesy.

What challenges does your cast face in creating an air of mystery and suspense in this production?
The dialects are tricky: making them at once authentic and understandable to an American audience is a bit of a challenge. One character speaks in a thick Italian dialect and one is Cockney. We're having fun with those, particularly.

What has been the most surprising thing about directing The Mousetrap?
The play is brilliantly, carefully constructed. It's a machine! There is nary a superfluous action or bit of dialogue. I've learned that if I just "play the play" as Dame Agatha constructed it, I won't -- almost can't -- go wrong.

The Mousetrap has been running in London for more than half a century -- longer than any other play in history. Now that you have explored the play, do you have an explanation for its unusual longevity?
It's a terrific blend of mystery and comedy. If you're willing to let yourself go, the play grabs you and takes you on a bumpy, spooky, intriguing ride.

If you were solving a murder mystery, do you think your approach would be more like that of Miss Marple or Hercule Perroit?
Columbo is more my style, minus the wrinkled coat.

The Mousetrap runs November 10-18, 2006. Call 407.646.2145 for more information.