The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie

Openstage Theatre & Company - Fort Collins, CO - 2026

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Directed by Heather Ostberg Johnson

Scenic Design by Ivan Andrade

Prop Design by Brenna Freestone-Gilbert

Costume Design by Kari Armstrong

Lighting Design by Mackenzie Lowe

Photography by Sarah J Baker

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Sound Design by Joshua Moore

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The Mousetrap is a classic murder mystery play that questions how well you know the people you love and who you can really trust. After a woman is strangled in london, guests at Monkswell Manor find themselves trapped by a blizzard and wrapped up in a murder case. They must consider who amongst them they can trust and how they can protect themselves before it is too late. The Mousetrap is a world renowned play and as of the time of this production is the longest running play of all time, playing consecutively on the West End since 1952.  

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The primary focus of the sound design was to immerse the audience, as well as the performers, into the atmosphere of Monkswell Manor. Six Sound Effect speakers were hidden within the set to localize sound effects throughout the house including a Fireplace, a Grandfather Clock, a Radio, and outdoor sounds from windows and doors. All of these sound effects were triggered by performance on stage, such as actors stoking the fire, and turning on and off the radio. This brought realism to the soundscape and grounded the sounds in the acting on stage. Second, we wanted to use Sound Design as the murder weapon. The killer was able to utilize open windows and a blaring radio to cover their tracks, and bring a level of stylized drama to intense moments. Finally, we wanted to tie back to the plays origins as a radio drama by staging the opening and closing with elements of radio plays. This grounded the play in its history, and allowed us to show key historical elements from Post WWII England into the ethos of the play.