By Kathryn Olsen
This Halloween season, one need go only as far as Lightree Studios in Salt Lake City to capture the spirit of the spooky season in Scaffold Theatre’s Nevermore: A Haunted Theatrical Extravaganza. Created and driven by Artistic Director Julie-Ann Liechty, this is “more than just jump scares.” Liechty says that she “had the idea of combining classic Halloween stories with live performers in a haunted house kind of setting and then seasoning the whole thing with a bit of humor.” As a fan of the gothic, macabre, and witty, I jumped at the chance to see this show early in its run.
The audience is welcomed by two nameless ghouls (Barrett Ogden and Meg Flinders) to the afterlife of Edgar Allen Poe, with its steward Alvarissa, Mistress of Evil. In this realm of fun and fright, characters from various traditions roam free, but the spirit of Nevemore is threatened by the arrival of Dr. Thrillchoke, a professor of Spookology from Harvard University who distributes her course guide on why Halloween is a travesty to the members of the audience. She is on a quest to find Poe’s compiled manuscript and bring an end to the whole holiday. It is up to Annabel Lee, Jack O’ the Lantern, and even Russian folk villain Baba Yaga to turn Thrillchoke’s heart and protect the manuscript from being seized. The writing itself put me in mind of what it would have been like had Scrooge been opposed to Halloween instead of Christmas and there’s even a moment in which Halloween is called a humbug.
Some actors are called upon to play multiple roles but after her short stint as a ghoul, Flinders as Annabel is understandably restricted to a single function. She is constantly keeping her fellow fictional folk on track and extolling everything that makes Halloween magical. It is fantastic, then, to hear her soulful and sometimes somber renditions of classic literature. She is a heroine in search of her own resolution, but Flinders plays her with a hysterical kind of earnestness that is delightful.
Liechty must come next, as she plays not only the antagonist, but the master of ceremonies and Baba Yaga. Her off-the-cuff interactions with the audience as Alvarissa are a clear influence on the improvisational styles of the other actors and, of course, she is the mastermind behind the project itself. The switch between Alvarissa and Thrillchoke is wonderful to watch, as Alvarissa is a slightly-unhinged diva and Thrillchoke just doesn’t seem to get the point of all of this.
Her opposite number is the magnificent Ogden, who principally apepars as the actor behind Poe and Jack. With Jack’s quirky mannerisms, laid-back approach to storytelling, and physical comedy, the audience would not naturally associate him with the genius who brings the show to a climax with a rendering of “The Tell-tale Heart.” Nevertheless, Poe spends most of his afterlife in the belfry with a few bats, while Jack carries most of the romantic affect of the show.
The show promised in its marketing to be interactive and this was one of the most amusing elements of this work. Trick-or-treating was rendered unnecessary as characters found reasons to distribute candy. The manuscript was cunningly hidden with the help of an audience member. Best of all was the costume contest, in which those who came in character competed against audience members coaxed into wearing a cape and hat or a large tiger head. The improvisational parts of the show helped the audience feel the enthusiasm for the holiday as much as the characters.
The set itself, designed by Clarisa Johnston and facilitated by Assistant Set/Props Sharla Heydorf, uses space very effectively. There is the obligatory author’s armchair and a raven perched upon a birdcage as well as a few pieces used to make character interactions possible, but both the staircase and the balcony are instruments of histrionics for the actors. Lighting Designer David Braithwaite and Lead Sound and Lighting Technician Jordan Scott set the atmosphere with everything from the chilling ambience to the crash of thunder that sounds every time someone dramatically mentions Nevermore. The costumes by Candice Bahe are appropriately dramatic and simple in their turns. The direction by Christy Summerhays works well with the comedic artistry of each player while bringing out the best in Liechty’s creative efforts.
Nevermore runs until Halloween night and runs for just over an hour, so this is a thrilling contribution to the spooky that audiences of 10 and older will be able to enjoy. Don your favorite costume and head to Lightree Studios for tickets before it is seen again nevermore.
Scaffold Theatre Presents Nevermore: A Haunted Theatrical Extravaganza.
Lightree Studios, 740 W 1700 S, Ste 5, Salt Lake City, UT 84104.
Oct 13-31, 2022, 7:00 and 9:30 PM. See website for individual performance schedules.
Tickets: $25
Contact: 323-215-6350
www.scaffoldtheatre.org
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