evergreenplayers.org

Wait Until Dark

A thriller by Frederick Knott. [PG]

Directed by Bernie Cardell. Music directed by Brandon Dill.

From the author of Dial 'M' for Murder comes one of the most famous thrillers of our time. The New York Post called it "a first-rate shocker!"

One thing stands between three dangerous con men and a fortune hidden inside a child's doll: A blind woman named Susy Hendrix. What seems like an easy day's work quickly turns into a gripping game of cat and mouse as the trio lead her on a dangerous path of deceit and murder. What they didn't count on is that Susy has a game of her own as she turns her disability into her greatest weapon.

"There is no mystery in 'Wait Until Dark'," says director Bernie Cardell, "and yet, there is no other play that will keep you on the edge of your seat like this one. The audience knows from the very beginning the game that is being played. But they must wait for the main character to figure it out on her own. It?s thrilling to watch."

"Wait Until Dark", an Academy Award winning film when Audrey Hepburn took on the starring role in 1967, will make you keep the lights on!

'Outstanding' - Colorado Backstage. Read their review here.

Director's Notes

Watching Wait Until Dark is an exercise in observation.  This play has all of the ingredients of a classic thriller with one exception:  from the first five minutes, you already know who the culprit is.  This, of course, makes the show even more enjoyable.  Frederick Knott has crafted a most unique play by giving us a main character who is blind.  No other thriller has moments like this play, and because Susy is blind, there are many opportunities to "tighten the noose" as it were.  As Susy gets more deeply involved with the three con men, the level of danger rises and the involvement level of the audience rises right with it.  Sit back, relax, and allow yourself to get involved with this story.  It's a good one.
 
Directing Wait Until Dark is rather like herding worms.  Besides working with eight actors, a large technical crew, over 100 props, and quick-changing costumes, there is an ashtray that has to smoke, a knife that has to be thrown, and an enormous amount of fight choreography that has to be taken into account.  For anyone planning on directing this show, I have a few words of warning:

You will love it.

- Bernie Cardell

Cast

Patrick Collins Harry Roat

Patrick has really enjoyed performing in the beautiful surroundings of Evergreen. He was most recently seen in Lafayette as Don in David Ives' Universal Language. He also recently assisted authors with staged readings of new works at the Arvada Center. Some of his previous roles were Jason Posner in Wit, Bottom in A Midsummer's Night Dream and Emil from Three Viewings. And finally, he would like to thank Bernie for the opportunity and vision with the role.

Bernie Cardell Director

Bernie is very pleased to be directing this classic thriller. He has directed for a variety of companies in the Denver area including Cheshire Cat, Industrial Arts, Subversive Intelligence, Bootstrap Productions, and both years of the Playwrights Showcase at the Arvada Center. Favorite directing projects include Three Viewings, Pack of Lies, and Elegy for a Lady. Favorite acting roles include Hysterium in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Andrew in Recent Tragic Events, and Wasserman in A Betrothal. Exciting upcoming projects include directing the Regional Premier of The Credeaux Canvas for Identity Theatre Company (December). Also watch for an announcement on an evening of one-acts (co-starring Wait Until Dark Assistant Director Mari Geasair) to open in February! Thanks to Mari for being an elegantly Supportive right hand, to my dream producers, and to the cast for giving me all they could give (and more!). Enjoy!

Tony Catanese Sgt. Carlino

Tony is beginning his nineteenth year teaching seventh, eighth and ninth grade drama at Graland Country Day School in Denver. He is the recipient of the Theatre Educator of the Year Award (1995) and the Distinguished Service Award. Within the Theatre Profession (2005) from the Alliance for Colorado Theatre. This past summer, Tony directed The Wolf's Tale, which he wrote for the Miners Alley Playhouse in Golden, and he received a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to do research in North Carolina for a play about slavery. Tony recently appeared with the Evergreen Players as Louie in Lost In Yonkers and at the Miners Alley Playhouse as Aldo in Italian American Reconciliation. He has also directed and choreographed Oklahoma and Guys and Dolls for the Evergreen Chorale. Tony dedicates this performance to his wife, Cindy, and his two pals from the animal kingdom, Dodger and Amico.

RJ Franklin Policeman

Trained in Toronto, RJ Franklin moved to Denver 5 years ago. His love of improv led him to the Denver TheatreSports stage and from there he branched out to perform with the Up Upstart Crow, Industrial Arts Theatre and was a founding member of Subversive Intelligence Theatre Company. This actor and director is happy to be working with Bernie and Mari again and is sure he knows his lines now.

Mari Geasair Assistant Director

Mari is delighted to be working with Evergreen Players and this fabulous cast and crew. Her directing credits include The Boor with Subversive Intelligence Theatre, Agnes of God at the Industrial Arts Theatre and Pack of Lies (with Bernie Cardell) also for Industrial Arts Theatre. Favorite acting roles include Reba in The Last Night of Ballyhoo at Longmont Theatre Company, Mac in Three Viewings for Cheshire Cat Theatre, and The Proprietress in Elegy For A Lady with Subversive Intelligence Theatre company. Future work plans include co-starring with Bernie in Misconceptions: Three One-Act Plays About First Impressions to be presented by Pat Payne and Westminster Players early in 2006! Thanks to Bernie, a terrific cast and crew and the outstanding support of entire Evergreen Players community, and of course to YOU the audience.

Haley Johnson Susy Hendrix

A graduate from the University of Colorado at Denver's College of Arts and Media, Haley's most memorable roles include Helena Charles in Look Back in Anger, Betty/Jill in All in the Timing, Cinna in Julius Caesar, Curley's Wife in Of Mice and Men and the title role in Aristophanes' Lysistrata. Her most recent credits include Pack of Lies with Industrial Arts theatre, The House of Bernarda Alba with Arcos Azules Productions and Mrs. California with the Main Street Players. She is thrilled at the opportunity to finally work with the Evergreen Players in such a complex and challenging production.

Gene Kato Sound Design

Gene is glad to finally be taking some time working on a project from a different vantage point. His association with the Players has been Director for Inherit the Wind and Lucky Stiff - as well as on stage for The Boy Friend and Over the River and Through the Woods. He will be directing the next Evergreen Players show Sabrina Fair which will open in January. He and his wife Janelle own Next Stage which recently produced the musical Assassins which was both a critical and box office success.

Glenda Mostek Stage Manager

Glenda is excited to be working on her first production with the Evergreen Players. Last fall, she was stage manager for the Red Rocks Community College Production of Wonder of the World. She has been the stage manager of the Miss South Dakota pageant for the past 12 years.

Robert Olguin Mike Talman

Robert has spent the last five years in Vancouver, Canada studying theater at Trinity Western University. This past June he also attended the National Theatre Conservatory Summer Intensive in Denver. This is his first stage appearance in Colorado, and as a married man. He thanks the cast, crew, and director for giving him a wonderful experience in Evergreen, and his wife for giving him the occasional kick in the right direction.

Robert Payo Policeman

This is Robert's second production with Evergreen Players. Robert was last seen at Center Stage in Lucky Stiff (Luigi Gaudi) this summer. Past credits include: Tiresias in Oedi (Subversive Intelligence), Protean in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Performance Now), Man in Elegy for a Lady (Subversive Intelligence), Harry Druggist in The Cradle Will Rock (University of Colorado at Denver), Iago in Othello (Community College of Aurora). Special thanks to Bernie, Mari and of course, Tim.

Desiree Samler Gloria

Desiree is in 5th grade at Marshdale Elementary School in Evergreen. She last performed with the Evergreen Players in the 2004 production of The Secret Garden. She just completed a summer-long run as Brigitta in Pinnacle Dinner Theater's production of The Sound of Music. She previously played Marta in The Sound of Music at UNCÂ's Little Theater of the Rockies. Another favorite role was Charlie Brown in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Other credits include Annie and The Wizard of Oz (Wolf Theater Academy's Schwayder Theater), Sleeping Beauty and Hansel & Gretel (Missoula Children's Theatre), The Trial of the Big Bad Wolf (Prelude to the Evergreen Children's Chorale), and The Wizard of Oz (Evergreen Dance Center).

Nikki Seabaugh Assistant Stage Manager

Nikki recently moved to the Denver Metro area from Cape Girardeau, MO, after attending the summer intensive acting program at the National Theatre Conservatory - where she met Mari and Rob! Recent roles include The Countess in Picasso at the Lapin Agile and Juror #4 in 12 Angry Men [Jurors]. She holds a B.A. in Theatre from Mississippi University for Women. Thanks Leslie for everything. I love you, Rich, and the homefires are blazing!

Eric Wahlberg Sam Hendrix

Eric recently graduated from CU Denver with a BA in theater. While he was there he was nominated for two Irene Ryan scholarships for acting. One of the shows he was nominated for, Brecht's Antigone, made it to the first round of competition at the regional Kennedy Center festival in Ashland, Oregon. Some of his favorite roles include: Grigory Steponovich Smirnov in Chekov's The Bear, Marco from Miller's A view from the Bridge, Lee from Shepard's True West, and Edgar from Shakespeare's King Lear. He has directed several shows and written one that he was able to produce at CU. He plans to audition for grad-schools next year and hopes to achieve an MFA in acting/directing. He wishes to thank his family for their devoted support.

Production Crew

Images from Wait Until Dark

Photography by Ellen Nelson and other volunteers.

"Now children... children. Let's not get too greedy, shall we?" Con men Mike (Robert Olguin) and Carlino (Tony Catanese) corner Harry Roat (Patrick Collins).

"Do you frighten easily? It's nothing to be ashamed of. Everybody's frightened of something." Harry (Patrick Collins) and Susy (Haley Johnson)

"So you see, Susy, it's all over. I have the knife." Susy (Haley Johnson) and Harry (Patrick Collins).