By Lindsey Lundholm
Wait Until Dark, has been putting viewers on the edge of their seats since the original play by Frederick Knott was first seen on a Broadway stage in 1967. Now, 50 years later, it has thrilled stages from Broadway to quaint, small-town theaters. The Caine Lyric Theater, in Logan, is one of these small town theaters that is putting on a larger-than-life production of this play, directed by Adrianne Moore.
The theater fills up fast as people come in after parking on the nearby Main Street and backroads to watch the play. Caine Lyric Theater’s staff gives a warm welcome to each individual as they guide them to one of the comfortable chairs to sit. As my friend and I were ushered to our chairs, I heard excited whisperings from those around me. My own excitement increased as we chatted with an elderly lady next to us who happened to be the grandmother of one of the leading actors. She said, “My grandson told me that this play is supposed to be really intense! Sorry if I grab ya when I get scared!” I laughed but this didn’t surprise me. After all, a play with a heroin-filled doll, a blind woman fighting off con men, and a husband framed for murder didn’t exactly scream, “I’m gonna take a nice nap during this play!” As I looked around, it was easy to see that my friend and I were the youngest ones in attendance, the majority of the viewers being 50 or older. There were no young families with children. This made sense given the suspenseful nature and slight language in the play. However, that is not to say that people my age (Millenials) wouldn’t love the Caine Lyric Theater’s production of Wait Until Dark.
The excitement and energy only increases as the play begins. The dim lighting, a beautiful creation by Joshua Roberts, is superb and really creates an eerie, white-knuckled feeling throughout the theater. The entire set is the living room of Suzy Hunt, the blind wife of Sam Hunt—which is a small, studio apartment created by set designer Spencer Potter. It is wonderful, I felt as if I was a guest in their home at times instead of sitting in the audience about 20 feet away. The music has a thrilling tune that reminded me of something from the Pink Panther, hinting at mystery and a little bit of fear to come. Bryan Richards, the sound designer, really knows how to create an intense environment with the music.
The acting of the entire play rests solely on six individuals: Lacy J. Dunn, Chris Klinger, Wyn Moreno, Dani Rae Nielsen, Lance Rasmussen and Mitch Shira. Lacy Dunn plays the blind woman Suzy Hendrix and does a fantastic job of being blind. This is not easy and she completely convinced me. She and Gloria (Dani Rae Nielsen), a young girl who comes and helps her out around the apartment outsmart three con men searching for a doll with heroin hidden inside of it. Sam Hendrix (Mitch Shira), Suzy’s husband, is able to show both compassion and toughness as Suzy learns to live as a blind person. Lance Rasmussen, plays Harry Roat, the brains behind the plot to find the doll in Suzy’s apartment. He was a great evil character—oily, sneaky, creepy. Chris Klinger plays Mike Talman, one of the three men trying to find the doll. He pretends to be an old friend of Suzy’s husband in order to get inside the apartment. My skin crawled whenever he was onstage—this is good. The last con man is played by Wyn Moreno. He is the character of Sergeant Carlino, who pretends to be a policemen trying to solve a recent murder in the area.
These spectacular performers never seem to waver in their passion or weaken in their ability to deliver lines with reality and energy. All of the actors are well cast and seem to really become their characters. They interact naturally with each other and have costumes that are perfectly fit for the time. They seem comfortable on stage and are not stiff like mannequins. The only slight change I would see benefiting the cast would be to give the role of Gloria, the little next-door neighbor who helped Suzy to someone who was younger. She seems to outgrow her character at times. However, despite the age incongruence, she is a fabulous actress.
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Overall, if you like sappy, feel-good musicals, Wait Until Dark is not the play for you or your family. I would recommend children 8 or 9 and older, unless they scare easily in jump scenes. However, if you are someone who loves a good mystery and being put on the edge of your seat, this is the play for you!
Caine Lyric Theater present Wait Until Dark Frederick Knott, adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher
Tickets: $15-$30
July 1, 13, 18, 28, August 2, August 5. 2017 7:30 PM
Caine College of the Arts Lyric Repertory Theater
Facebook Page Lyric Repertory Company
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