Mister Rogers’ Deadly Neighborhood: Did The Butler Do It?

Rick Mickley plays  dutiful manservant Thomas Rogers
PHOTO: Jan Cartwright

In the typical “whodunit,” the butler is always the prime suspect.  In the classic Agatha Christie murder mystery And Then There Were None, Rick Mickley plays manservant Thomas Rogers, and he is certainly not beyond suspicion.  In fact, all ten house guests and staff are both potential suspects and murder victims.  When the bodies start to drop, Mister Rogers’ neighborhood is most definitely deadly!

Rick Mickley is a veteran performer at the Farmington Players Barn Theater, and he’s no stranger to dark dramas, having played Count Dracula in the Barn’s 2013 production of Dracula. By contrast, And Then There Were None presents different challenges for Rick.  He describes his character Thomas Rogers, the recently hired butler of the island estate, as “your typical, loyal, competent, obedient, English manservant who enjoys his job and the luxuries it affords him and his wife.”  Mrs. Ethyl Rogers is played to great comedic effect by Karen Southworth, and she and Rick banter and bicker like an old married couple.

Rick says he has been a big huge fan of Agatha Christie “since I learned to read. Murder mysteries have always fascinated me, and she’s arguably one of the best. Reading Ms. Marple and Hercule Poirot methodically solving the crime, with the twists and turns through the intrigue and mayhem of Agatha’s mind, kept­­ me occupied for hours.  As a Pretrial Services employee for Oakland County, I see true crime every day. I won’t say that growing up reading murder mysteries led me to my position, but I absolutely believe it made me far more observant along the way.”  Rick observes that the theme of this show is “survival of the fittest. If you’re smart and sharp in this play, you stay one step ahead of the killer, but if you don’t....  Similarly, you have to be smart and sharp to get by in this life. Responsibilities, like murderers, just don’t go away by themselves.”

Rick is thrilled to be back on the boards at the Barn: “Playing Mr. Rogers will be an exciting opportunity to show the audience my love of theater. I hope they’ll love the play as much as I do!”  He credits his cast mates with “encouraging me with their hard work and dedication to their roles to be the best I can be.” Director Laurie Smalis and A.D. Rob Wise are “tough, and they are challenging each of us to find our character and embrace the role.”

And Then There Were None has 9 performances at Farmington Players Barn Theater from February 9 - 25.  The show is proudly sponsored by Weinstein Jewelers.  Tickets are available online at farmingtonplayers.org or by emailing boxoffice@farmingtonplayers.org or calling the Barn box office at 248-553-2955.