PORT ANGELES — The thump of a heart. The gong from the clock tower. And the sound, oh no, of tap, tap, tapping at my chamber door.
All of this is about to creep onto the stage and up the spines of innocent people at the Port Angeles Community Playhouse.
A clutch of youngsters has embarked upon some old-fashioned scary in “Shuddersome: Tales of Poe,” this Friday and Saturday only.
Doors will creak open at 6:45 p.m. at the playhouse, 1235 E. Lauridsen Blvd., with admission by donation for the 7:30 p.m. shows.
This, a Port Angeles YouTHeatre production, features a cast of preteen and teen actors in Edgar Allan Poe’s best-known stories: “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Bells,” “The Oval Portrait,” “The Masque of the Red Death” and “The Raven,” with choreography by Naomi Alstrup and direction by Karen Breedlove and Shannon Cosgrove.
“Each story is a different kind of creepy,” declared Charles Krause, 15, one of the performers in “The Masque of the Red Death.”
He is loving this process, underway since September, of bringing these tales to frightening life.
Breedlove has worked on children’s theater projects for the younger set at the playhouse.
This summer, some middle school and high school students came to her saying they wanted to sink their proverbial teeth into something meatier.
Right before Halloween
She knew of Canadian playwright Lindsay Price’s adaptation of Poe’s tales and thought yes, this could work — and right before Halloween.
The cast is also the crew, so youngsters are doing lights and sound, as well as decorating the lobby, Breedlove added.
She salutes the young artists, who come from Sequim and Port Angeles: Charles, Alisandra Baccus, Faith Chamberlain, Kaylee Dunlap, Madelynne Jones, Meiqi Liang, Damon Little, Payton Sturm, Sammy Weinert, Allie Winters and Ashia Lawrence.
Maddie Stearns, a design engineer in Port Angeles, is also a crew member, while veteran actor and director Anna Andersen is a special adviser.
Andersen is marveling at a couple of things: how this show came together in a matter of weeks and the way the performers work in concert.
These stories demand a great deal of coordination, she said, and these kids pull it off.
“Each actor is completely in tune with the others. They all have strong individual moments,” Andersen added, “but it’s as a
group that the cast really shines.”
Breedlove noted that “Shuddersome: Tales of Poe” is recommended for theater-goers of middle school age and up. And it’s likely to scare the grown-ups but good.
“Come see what the kids can do,” she said.
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Features Editor Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5062, or at diane.urbani@peninsuladailynews.com.
