Man of Many Voices Plays Many Roles in Tri-County Players’ DIAL M FOR MURDER

Boyang Zhang.

Most actors audition for a role, accept the part and learn the lines for that specific role. Not Boyang Zhang – he learns the lines and voices for multiple characters in one show! He is playing two different on-stage roles and voicing four other characters in DIAL M FOR MURDER.The show, produced by Tri-County Players, opens Friday February 13th at the Sharonville Fine Arts Center.

Keeping track of the different personalities for the various roles is fun for Boyang. “When it comes to acting, and voices specifically, I guess I would say that I image my brain as being a little town. Each character lives in a different part of my head, and they all go to work in different parts of my body. One character might specialize in strumming my vocal chords, another, who has a deeper sound, might be responsible for pushing my diaphragm. This helps to remind me what they sound like, and what I need to do to produce those sounds.”

He has a background in languages and that helps to create characters for the show. “I have always had an interest in languages, and the nuances that make them distinct. I was born in China, and English is technically my second language, but there’s no way you could tell that from hearing me speak. When I was in kindergarten, I would listen to the radio every day and practice speaking exactly the way the broadcasters do, to perfect my “American accent”. Ever since then, anytime I encounter a new accent on TV, on the radio, or out in the real world, I try to capture it, repeat it, and make it my own,” he explained

Though it’s best known as a film by Alfred Hitchcock,DIAL M FOR MURDER was first a successful stage play written by another English master of suspense: Frederick Knott (Wait Until Dark). In this Tri-County Players production of the classic thriller, Tony Wendice plans to murder his unfortunate wife to claim her fortune for himself. He arranges for the perfect crime — but things don’t quite go according to plan. His wife survives and the contract killer hired to do her in ends up dead. This timeless masterpiece of construction and plotting weaves a tangled web of clues and red herrings, back-stabbings and blackmail that will keep you hooked.

Boyang will be on stage with five other actors; Stephen Beck,Joel Lind, McLane Nagy,Dan Nieman and Glenn Schaich. It is directed by Mary Benken and Gregory Charles Vaughan. The show runs Fridays and Saturdays, Feb 13, 14, 20, 21 at 8 pm and on Sunday Feb 15th at 3 pm. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for seniors and students. Reservations can be made at 513-471-2030.