Life

'Turn of the Screw' opens Thursday at Playhouse

By Bill Moss, Published: October 21, 2019

The Turn of the Screw, an adaptation of the classic 1898 horror novella by Henry James, opens Thursday night at the Flat Rock Playhouse.

Set on a remote country estate Victorian England, the story unfolds when a new governess arrives and assumes care for two orphaned children at the request of their mysterious uncle. While the home and children initially seem picturesque, the governess soon begins to question if there might be more figures wandering around the estate than just the children.

“The most frightening aspect is simple: Doubt," says Flat Rock Playhouse Producing Artistic Director Lisa K. Bryant, who directs this show. "How can we be sure what is real and what is in our heads? We’re all familiar with spooky nights and strange sounds, as well as the voice in our heads that tries to dismiss these fears as irrational. We also know the voice that counters, what if they’re not? This production combines the power of imagination with the vibrancy of live production, ensuring a delightfully thrilling performance that will leave audiences debating about what truly unfolded.”

The  show features Stacie Bono and Daniel Rothman. Bono previously performed on the Playhouse stage as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady and has performed across the globe in roles such as Marian in The Music Man, Fantine in Les Miserables, Lucy Steele in Sense and Sensibility, Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, and Nancy in Oliver!, among others. Rothman, who makes his Playhouse debut, has performed Off-Broadway in Sweeney Todd, Loophole, and Voice of the City as well as at numerous theaters across the nation.

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The Turn of the Screw opens Thursday and runs through Nov. 2 at Flat Rock Playhouse Leiman Mainstage. Performances are 2 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday and 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For tickets call the box office at 828-693-0731 or visit www.flatrockplayhouse.org.