Written by orange• July 18, 2025• 7:44 pm• Newport Beach, Newport Theatre Arts Center

Dial M For Murder @ Newport Theatre Arts Center – Review

photo credit: Sarah Whitwell

Written by Daniella Litvak

A summer of meh blockbusters is all the more reason to seek out the classics. You know a play like Dial M for Murder is a classic because it boasts a film adaptation by the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock.

Story/Direction:

Here are the basics. It’s the 1950s. Margot Wendice (Brooke Lewis Cruz) is a socialite. She is married to former tennis pro Tony Wendice (Angel Correa) but he is having an affair with crime fiction writer Max Halliday (Mark Tillman). Tony has discovered the affair. Out of anger and greed, Tony blackmails his old college associate, Captain Lesgate (Scott Keister), into murdering Margot. That’s when things go awry.

Newport Theatre Arts Center’s production of Dial M For Murder (hereafter “Dial M”) keeps to the basics. There is, however, a change in setting. While the original play and film were set in London, this production takes place in New York City. Now, this does not seem like a major difference – trading one famous metropolitan city for another. However, I liked the change because it emphasized the themes Director David Rodriguez mentioned in his Director’s Note, namely the juxtaposition of our idealization of 1950s America against the seedier reality.

I also liked the transplanted setting because it allowed the production to feature American rock and roll and rhythm and blues songs from the period, such as “Jailhouse Rock” by Elvis Presley and “Money (That’s What I Want)” by Barrett Strong. The use of music in Dial M was a pleasant surprise. It created a lot of mood for the show and broke up dialogue-heavy scenes.

It took some time for Dial M to get cooking. There are many dialogue-heavy scenes. The flow may have been better if the scenes were condensed. Overall, though, the play presents an engaging thriller.

Acting/Costume/Set:

The character Tony Wendice isn’t just two-faced. It’s more like he multi-faced, because he’s constantly changing his character to suit his needs. Correa does a good job of making characters distinct, and it shows off his incredible talent for physicality. The man can move like a cartoon character. Watching him race around the stage as he set Tony’s schemes in motion made for some of the most riveting moments of the play.

As Inspector Hubbard, Max Halliday was a last-minute show stealer. He also delivered my favorite line of the night.

The costumes looked suitably 1950s. I adored the outfits for Margot, especially her red and gray dresses. The set, depicting the Wendices’ living room, also captured the aesthetic of the period. Joshua Serrano’s lighting design was atmospheric and effectively heightened the drama during the play’s tensest scenes.

If you’re in the mood for thrills and suspense, head to the Newport Theatre Arts Center.