Pine Island Playhouse performs Poe collection
If you missed the three performances of “Poe” by Pine Island Playhouse last weekend, you have another opportunity to see these four short plays and three poems performed this weekend.
The plays were adapted by Nichole Pichon.
“My parents have always loved Halloween and we always had the best decorations in the neighborhood,” Pichon said. “When I get the chance to do anything, even the slightest bit spooky, it’s as if I’m a kid again.”
The evening kicks off with perhaps Poe’s most famous work, “The Raven,” published in 1845. This supernatural poem tells of a talking raven’s visit to a very distraught lover lamenting the loss of his love Lenore. The man, while speaking to the Raven sitting on a bust over the door, slowly descends into madness. Neil Kerr plays the man with supporting roles played by Angela Kerr, Tonya Player, Glenn Ford and Ava Brainard.
“The Cask of Amontillado” is set in an unnamed Italian city while a carnival is taking place. This play is about taking revenge on a friend, Fortunato (Glenn Ford), who Montressor (Neil Kerr) thinks has offended him numerous times. The fascinating play follows Montressor and Furtunato into the caverns beneath the city where slowly Montressor builds a wall around his drunken “friend.”
“The Tell Tale Heart” is a short story featuring a narrator (Angela Kerr) who tries to convince the audience of her sanity as she describes her murder of an elderly man (Glenn Ford) with a “vulture eye.” The narrator carefully describes the calculations necessary to perform the perfect murder. When the police arrive (Neil Kerr), the woman hears a loud ringing in her ears and confesses to the murder.
“Masque of the Red Death” is a “fantasy” about a dangerous plague known as the Red Death killing citizens of the city. While the nobles attending a masquerade ball hide in 7 rooms of the abbey, they are visited by a mysterious figure disguised as Red Death. All of the guests die.
The players are Haci Hardegree, Ava Brainard, Tonya Player, Angela Kerr, Bella Player, Tom Crosby, Paul Pichon and Glenn Ford.
The short poem “City in the Sea” was recited by Bella Player. “Annabell Lee,” Poe’s most famous poem, is recited by Tom Crosby and “The Valley of Unrest” by Paul Pichon
“I’m always impressed with the amount of work that goes into these plays,” Rebecca Stone said. “I’ve seen several of these plays and as a Poe fan I really enjoyed this one.”
Pine Island Playhouse will be performing “Poe” again this weekend at the Methodist Church at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 18, and Saturday, Oct, 19, followed by a matinee performance Sunday, Oct. 20, at 2 p.m.
These performances were sponsored by Honc Industries, Exceptional Aluminum Sales, Pine Island Tax & Accounting, American Legion Auxiliary, El Pollo Rico, CW Fudge, Lilly’s Island Deli, Cosas FMB, Team Shevlin and Monroe Canal Marina.
Seating is first come, first served, and no tickets are necessary. As always, Pine Island Playhouse’s productions are free to the public with donations being accepted after each performance.