OrSVP Announces 2026 Season

The Orinda Starlight Village Players will open their 43rd season with the bay area premiere of Agatha Christie's The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, adapted for the stage by Mark Shanahan. The production will be directed and designed by award winning theatre creator, Matt Cardigan-Smith. Written 100 years ago, Agatha Christie's novel is considered one of the best mystery novels ever written and it changed the genre forever when it was released. OrSVP's production includes Patrick Atkinson as Hercule Poirot, Wayne Goodman as Dr James Sheppard, Kelsey Bye as Miss Helen Russell, Mimi Hamilton as Caroline Sheppard, Maya Rath as Gertrude Akkroyd, Alice Lee as Flora Ackkroyd, Christopher F Smith as Major Hector Blunt, Jessica Shcild as Ursula Bourne, Matt Hess as Inspector Raglan, Isaac Arriaga as Ralph Patton and Tom Reilly as Roger Ackroyd. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd runs June 5 - July 3.

Then, OrSVP will present Noel Coward's classic British comedy, Present Laughter July 24-August 15. This hilarious whirlwind of a play has delighted audiences sin 1941 and this production is sure to be the hit of the season. The cast includes a who's who of bay area talent including; Matt Cardigan-Smith as Garry Essendine, Amy Stringer as Liz Essendine, Shiv Harris as Monica Reed, Kelsey Bye as Joanna Lyppiatt, Ella Frances Vatvani as Daphne Stillington, Max O Chang as Roland Maule, Kenneth Matis as Henry Lyppiatt, Will Spongberg as Morris Dixon, Marc Berman as Fred, Yvette Niccolls as Miss Erikson and Marian Simpson as Lady Saltburn. Present Laughter will be directed by Patrick Atkinson and will include set and costume design by Matt Cardigan-Smith.

To close the summer season, OrSVP will present Bram Stoker's classic horror novel, Dracula, adapted and directed by Malcolm S. Cowler. The cast includes Ilia Schrago, Maya Cornwall, Kayla Mcconnell, Tom Westlake, Milo Michels, Kenny Silberberg and more. Dracula will run September 4-26.

All performances are held at the Orinda Community Center Park Amphitheatre. For more information and tickets go to www.orsvp.org