‘Love From a Stranger’ will come alive at the Black Box Theatre
You won’t want to miss the Chaminade Drama Club‘s latest production, “Love From a Stranger.”
The play, based on Agatha Christie’s short story “Philomel Cottage,” makes its debut on Nov. 15.
Club treasurer and set designer Caleb Cloud ’25 said the play showcases gender-blind casting.
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“There’s a lot of diversity and inclusion within the Club,” he added.
“Love From a Stranger” is psychological thriller about an heiress (Cecily Harrington), who rejects her longtime fiancé (Nigel Lawrence) in favor of a charming man (Bruce Lovell) she barely knows.
Zana Kimura ’25 is the production’s stage manager and also takes on the role of Mavis Wilson.
Kimura, who transferred to Chaminade in her second semester, said she joined the University’s Drama Club because she wanted to meet new people.
That’s exactly what she’s done, Kimura said, building friendships while staging the production.
The three-act play unfolds when Harrington is shown packing up her London flat. Enter Bruce Lovell, a charming stranger who sweeps her off her feet.
In a whirlwind romance, Harrington abandons her job, friends and fiancé to settle in a country cottage. However, her newfound “love from a stranger” is not what it seems and in an astonishingly tense final scene, Harrington discovers the ghastly truth of her new love.
Rian Pagtakhan ’25, the production’s director who also plays the role of Auntie Loo-Loo, said the play required creativity—and lots of hard work.
“I’m proud to say that every Club member has contributed to this production,” Pagtakhan said.
“We found an old sewing table and a rotary phone for the set in the props room,” Cloud added. “We looked for pieces that would represent London in the 1930.”
Reflecting the clothing of that era, the costumes were designed by Randrielle Yola ’26.
“We had to get creative,” Yola said. “But we did pretty well.”
SHOW DETAILS:
Where: Vi and Paul Loo Theatre, Clarence T.C. Ching Hall, Black Box Theatre
When: Nov. 15-17, from 7-9:30 p.m.
Tickets: Click here to reserve your seat
Cast Members:
Willow McKay—Cecily Harrington
Micah Sanders—Nigel Lawrence
Jules Mattes—Bruce Lovell
Rian Sydney Pagtakhan—Director/Auntie Loo-Loo
Alexia Mae Eleccion—Dr. Gribble
Evan Cromer—Stage Manager/Hodgson
Emily Cooper—Ethel
Zana Kimura—Stage Manager/Mavis Willson
Technical Design:
Brielle “Lilinoe” Lo—Sound Designer
Lavelle White—Lighting Designer
Set Design:
Caleb Cloud—Set Designer
Greta Bornmann—Set Designer
Costume Designer:
Randrielle Yola