A not-so-typical, laughable, murder mystery opens October 14 in Boone, NC
BOONE, N.C. — The Department of Theatre and Dance presents The Real Inspector Hound. This comedic murder mystery runs from October 14, 2026 to October 17, 2026 starting at 7:00 p.m. and October 18th at 2:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in advance online at the Theatre and Dance website, or purchased in person at the box office 30 minutes prior to the show starting. Valborg Theatre is located on Appalachian State University’s campus next to Chappell Wilson Hall.
Tom Stoppard’s play, The Real Inspector Hound, is an absurdist classic from 1968. The play within a play showcases the typical tropes of a murder mystery, featuring love interests who battle with tennis rackets and an investigator who gets mistaken for a dog. The production offers edge-of-your-seat suspense with two different storylines, multiple suspects, and all sorts of suspicious behavior. Director Derek Gagnier “can promise you that you will be as surprised as our cast was when we first read the play aloud and got to the ending.”
left to right, Nick Malloy, Kore Fritsche, Sean El-koussa, and Ayla Altman
Actor Ian Kirchbaum remarks “it’s a show that has so many twists and turns that you’ll have no idea what happens next.” Kore Fritsche agrees saying “you know exactly who did it but you have no idea who did it.”
The Real Inspector Hound revolves around two theatre critics, Birdboot and Moon. These two critics are written as real critics of the time. Director Derek Gagnier notes, “During 1968, newspaper theatre critics were revered celebrities, but renown for pompousness, cliched writing, and for pursuing their own agendas.” Tom Stoppard’s play touches on the historical context of the 1960s through parodied characters while also discussing themes of censorship. “Tom Stoppard’s play takes shots at the behavior of these critics and also celebrates the artform of theatre while gently poking fun at its conventions and foibles” says Gagnier.
Derek Gagnier
The Department of Theatre and Dance’s production of The Real Inspector Hound is directed by an associate professor, Derek Gagnier. Gagnier is the B.A Performance Concentration Coordinator as well as an experienced professional actor and director. He is an accomplished director, having worked on 20 shows in his 25 years at Appalachian.
A play within a play offers unique challenges for the cast, as every character has many mysterious layers. Gagnier has been working closely with the actors on their character work. Actor Ian Kirchbaum remarks on this unique challenge stating, “it’s been a very welcomed challenge…Getting to balance the pompousness and obliviousness has been hard to tap into but I’ve really enjoyed it so far.” Nick Malloy, playing army character Magnus, states “it alters that dynamic from a creative standpoint because you’re not just thinking about what one character’s intentions are.”
left to right, Kore Fritsche and Sean El-koussa
The show features student talent in both its cast and production team. Both theatre majors and non-theatre majors alike get to showcase their acting talents, costuming abilities, and other theatrical skills. Theatre education student and assistant stage manager Lola Cahoe works alongside marketing major and actor Sean El-koussa. Students and faculty members on both the cast and crew have been preparing to open The Real Inspector Hound since the end of August. Visitor parking information may be found on the App State Visitor Parking page.
Media Contacts
Leah Jones, Senior Theatre Education Major
theatreanddance@appstate.edu
828-262-3028
or
P.J. Wirchansky, CFAA Director of Marketing, Communication, and Engagement
wirchanskypj@appstate.edu
828-262-7249
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About the Department of Theatre and Dance
One of seven departments housed in the College of Fine and Applied Arts, the Department of Theatre and Dance's mission is to facilitate transformative experiences for students and the public, which cultivate compassionate, creative, and collaborative communities through theatre and dance. The department also offers coursework for integrated learning through the arts to the general university student population. Its dynamic co-curricular production program provides exemplary theatre and dance experiences to departmental students, the university community, and the region.
About the College of Fine and Applied Arts
Appalachian State University's College of Fine and Applied Arts is a dynamic and innovative group of seven academic departments, bringing together a variety of perspectives, experiences, and real-world education to provide unique opportunities for student success. The college has more than 3,500 undergraduate and graduate majors. Its departments are Applied Design, Art, Communication, Military Science and Leadership, Sustainable Development, Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment, and Theatre and Dance.
About Appalachian State University
As the premier public undergraduate institution in the Southeast, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The Appalachian Experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and to embrace diversity and difference. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachian is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System. Appalachian enrolls nearly 21,798 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio, and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.
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