MOUNT VERNON, Ohio — The Alcove Restaurant Dinner Theater announces its 2017-18 season with a Halloween season offering, “The Innocents” by William Archibald, based on Henry James’ iconic novella, “The Turn Of The Screw.”
The1898 Gothic horror story begins when a young governess(Courtney DeCosky) arrives at an English estate to oversee two precocious, orphaned youngsters (Eli Wilson and Lily Mayville). There’s also a motherly cook (Cate Blair Wilhelm), but these four aren’t alone–they’re haunted by fears, phantoms, and ghastly shadows.
The governess and cook are terrified, but the children are possessed by the spirits and welcome their visitations. The governess learns the spirits are those of the former caretaker and governess who corrupted the souls of the innocents. In a final scene, full of fear and terror, she learns that the two are now inseparable: the evil and the innocents. Are the spirits real or is the governess spiraling into madness?
Other cast members are Nick Wheeler and Jennifer Walters. Behind the scenes are Director Bruce Jacklin and producer/stage manager Megan Evans, Abigail Miller as assistant stage manager, Joe Bell as set construction, Ian Frasier Ernsberger as lighting and sound designer, Scott Swingle and Bonnie Pickett as tech operators, and Black Cat Creative as graphic and program design.
The Alcove Restaurant is located at 116 South Main Street in downtown Mount Vernon. “The Innocents” opens Oct. 27 and runs every Friday and Saturday through Nov. 18. There will be a matinee performance at 2 p.m. on Nov. 4. Tickets are available online at MTVarts .com or Alcoverestaurant.com. Please visit either website for menu selections and prices. Seating is limited and group requests may be offered within the comment box on the order form.