October 25–27
Get into the spooky spirit of Halloween with a free performance of Twisted Tales of Poe at Lafayette College's Buck Hall. Edgar Allan Poe's lilting poems and short stories of the macabre are well known for conjuring up the creeps, and in this free production they're told in the captivating style of a '40s radio play.
The adaptation was originally written by staff of a public radio station, and presents “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Cask of Amontillado,” “The Black Cat” and “The Raven” performed with vintage microphones, musical accompaniment and sound effects created live. Actors will play multiple parts, dressed unobtrusively in black, while a crew provides the creaks and jingles that bring Poe's well-crafted creations to life. “The audience loves seeing props like rice sprinkled on paper for rain,” says director Michael O'Neill.
This behind-the-scenes experience of story-telling is a delightful way to enjoy a unique form of theater, and particularly exciting for kids. Twisted Tales' first showing may be at the stroke of midnight, but on Sunday trick or treat, bags of candy add an extra incentive for young people to attend this gift to the community. “The theater department tries to do a free reading every year,” says O'Neill, and in recreating a radio show, “this will go beyond that.”
It bears repeating that for the rest of the department's productions, Easton residents are offered free admission to the last dress rehearsal. The adaptation-themed season includes Heddatron, a strange and funny tale involving robots in a rainforest, and The Monkey King, based on a Chinese legend.
With ample parking at Weiss Theater, there's every reason to check out this free retelling of Poe's classics. Reserve tickets to attend this fearsome feast of the eerie and ominous!
Free | Fri.: 11:59 p.m.; Sat.: 7:30 p.m.; Sun.: 2 p.m. | Lafayette College | Weiss Theater | 219 N. 3rd St., Easton | theater.lafayette.edu
