Armando Durán. Photo courtesy of Arena Stage.
Now playing at Arena Stage is Agatha Christie’s “Death on the Nile.” This production of Ken Ludwig’s stage adaption of the thriller is directed by Hana S. Sharif. “The play features the character of Hercule Poirot, a treasured character for Christie fans. If you have never seen one of the novelist’s plays on film or stage, Poirot is a very remarkable detective, a quite a bit eccentric, and very Belgian. Watching Poirot solve a mystery is always great fun and the character has been one that actors love to perform.
Arena Stage has cast Armando Durán to lead the cast as Poirot. He is supported by Felicia Curry, Olivia Cygan, Eric Hissom, Katie Kleiger, Jamil A. C. Mangan, Ryan Michael Neely, Nancy Robinette, Robert Stanton, Travis Van Winkle, and Sumé Yotsukura.
Armando Durán (Hercule Poirot) was a member of the repertory acting company at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for over twenty years, where his roles included Antony in “Antony and Cleopatra,” Julius Caesar in “Julius Caesar,” Don Quixote in “Don Quixote,” Garcia Lorca in “Lorca in a Green Dress,” and Eddie Carbone in “A View from the Bridge.” He has originated characters in over a dozen world premieres including new works by Pulitzer Prize winners Nilo Cruz, Robert Schenkkan, and Frank Galati. He has appeared in productions at the Folger Theater, the Guthrie Theater, Repertory Theater of St. Louis, Yale Repertory, Seattle Repertory, the Clarence Brown Theater, the Old Globe, and South Coast Repertory. His numerous audiobook titles include “Avenue of Mysteries” by John Irving, and “Love in the Time of Cholera” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I am a native Southern Californian and a diehard Los Angeleno. Be it Sunset Boulevard, Silver Lake, or 6th Street, Los Angeles means home. I also lived in Ashland, Oregon (25 miles north of the California/Oregon border) for over two decades during my tenure at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. My quarter century there as a member of the repertory acting company was one of the great privileges and pleasures of my life.
Did you have formal theatre training? If so, where?
I did my graduate studies and training at Long Beach State, (California State University Long Beach), where I received my Master of Fine Arts degree. The education that I received and my life experience there were pivotal in my development as an actor and a human being.
Aside from your role as Poirot, is there a role, or are there roles, that you consider your favorites?
Playing the role of Eddie Carbone in Arthur Miller’s classic, “A View from the Bridge,” was the most significant accomplishment of my career as an actor. The brutal journey that this very flawed, yet very human and relatable character takes in the course of the play is heartbreaking and tragic. It was the kind of role that refused to leave me at the door of the theater after each performance. He inhabited me, vexed me, and darkened me for the five months that I had the privilege of portraying Miller’s stunning creation.
Poirot has been performed by many distinguished actors. How will make Poirot your own?
I have been a fan of Agatha Christie’s work for many years. As such, I have seen most if not all of the film and television adaptations of her Hercule Poirot stories. I confess that Albert Finney’s portrayal of Poirot in the 1974 adaptation of “Murder on the Orient Express” is my personal favorite. Although it must be added that David Suchet’s interpretation of Poirot in the BBC series that ran from 1989 – 2013 is, for me, the definitive version of the Belgian detective. As I have always considered myself a very odd and eccentric person and performer, I have never been afraid of viewing and appreciating the work of others on this splendid character. My own life experience and human characteristics will shape my performance and make it unique. So long as I remain true to the remarkable detail and moral values with which Agatha Christie imbued the character, I know that my performance will be honest and singular.
Is there a role you have not played and would like to do one day?
Returning to the canon of Arthur Miller, it would be a dream to play the role of Willy Lohman in the American masterpiece “Death of a Salesman.” But it would have to be soon. The clock is ticking…
Agatha Christie’s “Death on the Nile” runs through December 29, 20204 at Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth Street SW, Washington, DC 20024. For more information and to purchase tickets, call the Box Office at 202-488-3300, Tuesday – Sunday, noon – 8 p.m., email info@arenastage.org, or go online.
