The Mousetrap, presented as part of the Alley's Summer Chills series, which stages full productions at discounted rates, is the first to get underway. Performances will run July 8-Aug. 8 on the Hubbard Stage. An official opening has been set for July 10.

Christie's play, according to the Alley, "follows a group of strangers – one of whom is a murderer – trapped in a boarding house during a snow storm. Is it the newlyweds whose rampant suspicions nearly wreck their marriage, or the spinster with the curious background? Perhaps it is the architect, the retired Army major, or the odd man who claims his car overturned in a snow drift?"

Alley resident actor James Black will stage St. Nicholas, which will run July 15-Aug. 8 on the Neuhaus Stage. The production officially opens July 17. The work is described as "a mesmerizing tale about a theatre critic who falls in love with an actress and becomes a servant to the vampires."

McPherson's plays include The Seafarer, Shining City, The Weir and Port Authority.

Casting and creative duties for The Mousetrap and St. Nicholas will be announced shortly. For tickets visit AlleyTheatre or call (713) 220-5700.

The Alley Theatre is located at 615 Texas Avenue in Houston, TX.