Benicia Old Town Theatre Group’s production of Frederick Knott’s classic crime thriller “Dial M for Murder” opens Friday in the historic BDES Hall.

Knott, an English playwright who wrote both stage play and screenplay versions of his scripts, often focused on women who become victims of evil circumstances.

In “Dial M for Murder,” a retired tennis player begins to plot the murder of his wife, who has started a relationship with a crime-fiction writer.

The script began as a BBC television production before it premiered as a play at the Westminster Theatre in Victoria, London, England and at the Plymouth Theater in New York.

Then Knott wrote the screenplay for the 1954 Warner Brothers motion picture directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Ray Milland and Grace Kelly as the troubled couple Tony and Margot Mary Wendice, and Robert Cummings as the writer, Mark Halliday. Anthony Dawson and John Williams playing Captain Lesgate and Chief Inspector Hubbard, the characters they had portrayed in the New York stage production.

In the Benicia Old Town Theatre Group production, Alan Coyne has been cast as Tony Wendice, and Rebecca Grayce plays Margot Mary Wendice.

Both actors recently received Arty Awards for their performances in “Same Time Next Year,” another BOTTG production.

James Higdon plays Inspector Hubbard, and Scott Potras is Captain Lesgate.

Among other members of the cast are Jeff Ribeiro and Drew Walther.

Gregg Klein has the helm as director of “Dial M for Murder.”

Work on the production has been going on for several weeks, Dyanne Vojvoda, the company’s publicist, said.

President Dan Clark and BOTTG board members Clinton Vidal, and Chuck Schilling are among those who helped construct the sets. Two walls used in past shows became part of those sets, while other flat walls were assembled in preparation for the play and made ready for scenic painter Beate Bruhl to turn those flats into an elaborate 1950s-era London apartment.

“This is how each production begins,” she said.

“A work ‘party’ is called, Genesis House (a community human services residence in Vallejo) is hired, and BOTTG volunteers assemble to begin the 51st season of Benicia Old Town Theatre Group,” she said. “The set designer Brian Hough manages his work crews and the magic begins!”

“Dial M for Murder” opens at 8 p.m. Friday and runs through Nov. 8. Curtain is at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and the Sunday matinees are at 2 p.m. All performances are in the BDES Hall, 140 West J St.

Tickets are $35 for the “Show and Dinner Deal” package with Nine-O-Seven Grill, and $20 general admission. Tickets are available online at beniciaoldtowntheatregroup.com and on Facebook, by calling 707-746-1267, or through the Benicia Chamber of Commerce, 601 First St.