Production photograph for Dial “M” for Murder at Okoboji Summer Theatre; scenic design by Brandon PT Davis.

Dial “M” for Murder

An elegant apartment held inside darkness, where every threshold, sightline, and piece of furniture sharpens suspense in Dial “M” for Murder.

Year
2023
Project
Drama
Location
Okoboji, IA
The apartment set in performance for Dial “M” for Murder at Okoboji Summer Theatre.
Scene emphasizing the controlled apartment palette in Dial M for Murder at Okoboji Summer Theatre.
The apartment set in performance for Dial “M” for Murder at Okoboji Summer Theatre.

Precision was the first rule for Dial M for Murder at Okoboji Summer Theatre. The play is about control: who has it, who loses it, and how long the illusion lasts, so Tony and Margot's apartment needed to look composed, almost curated.

Clean architectural lines, paneled walls, balanced bookcases, and a centered fireplace created a sense of order. Around that order, darkness became pressure, isolating the apartment and making the room feel suspended and exposed.

The floor plan was built around suspense. Doors, thresholds, furniture, and sightlines all supported the mechanics of the plot: who can see, who can hear, who can hide, and who is trapped inside someone else's plan.

Room’s centered fireplace and formal apartment composition for Dial “M” for Murder at Okoboji Summer Theatre.

Creative team

Book By
Frederic Knott
Director
Fred Rubeck
Scenic Design
Brandon PT Davis
Lighting Design
Alice Crist
Lighting Design
Savannah Bell
Sound Design
Kayla Sliger
Scene highlighting the isolated apartment environment in Dial M for Murder at Okoboji Summer Theatre.
Final scene from Dial M for Murder at Okoboji Summer Theatre.
Rendering for Dial M for Murder testing the apartment layout and negative space at Okoboji Summer Theatre.
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