Centenary Theatre Program presents “Wait Until Dark” at Marjorie Lyons Playhouse
SHREVEPORT, LA — The Centenary Theatre Program opens its 2021-2022 season later this month with Jeffrey Hatcher’s 2013 adaptation of Frederick Knott’s 1966 play, Wait Until Dark, a tense, complex thriller that builds to a gripping finish. Wait Until Dark opens at Centenary’s Marjorie Lyons Playhouse on September 30 at 7:30 p.m., with additional evening performances on October 1 and 2 and a 2:00 p.m. matinee on Sunday, October 3.
Hatcher’s Wait Until Dark adaptation is set in 1944 Greenwich Village and builds suspense and intrigue as Susan, a blind woman alone in her apartment, is forced to contend with three intruders who are searching for a valuable bit of contraband hidden somewhere inside. A Los Angeles Times review of Hatcher’s 2013 adaptation of Wait Until Dark observes that there is, “…something charming about being scared together with fellow audience members at a live event,” and the play delivers as it offers many twists, turns, and an epic battle of wits played out in the classic thriller genre. A 1967 film adaptation of the original Frederick Knott script starred Audrey Hepburn as Susan and Alan Arkin as Roat, one of the intruders.
Logan Sledge, assistant professor of theatre at Centenary, is directing the Centenary Theatre Program production of Wait Until Dark.
“Wait Until Dark is a very technical production,” explained Sledge. “It’s not easy to scare people in a live theatre production, so one of the great challenges of working on this play is marrying utterly truthful, realistic performances with all of the technical aspects needed to produce those scare moments in the show. The film was so successful when it originally played in 1967 because they put the movie theatre in total darkness during some critical moments. Audiences were delightfully terrified. We will be striving to accomplish that same effect in our theater.”
A talented group of Centenary Theatre Program students make up the cast and crew for Wait Until Dark. The production features Ophelia Scott as Susan along with Tyler Garrett, PJ Souther, Charlie Roppolo, Eliezer Williams, Mary Caruthers, and Hailey Poe in other supporting (and sometimes unexpected!) roles.
Tickets for Wait Until Dark are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors/military personnel, and $10 for students. All audience members must provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within three days in order to attend the production. Masks are required for all audience members. Tickets are available at showtix4u.com/event-details/56276.
Tickets are free for Centenary students, faculty, and staff, but must be reserved through the ticket link. Centenary community members will receive an email with a coupon code to reserve tickets.