Producers JoNathan Josephson, Jeff G. Rack, and Paul Millet have announced the plays, dates and location of the 2010 Wicked Literature: A Halloween Theatre Festival. The annual event features world premiere stage adaptations of classic gothic literature performed in alternative venues. Last year's festival was a sold-out walking tour through Beverly Hills' haunted Greystone Mansion - this year's festival will take place October 21-30, 2010 (7 performances only) at the Mountain View Mausoleum and Cemetery in Altadena, CA (2400 Fair Oaks Avenue). The evening of short works will be comprised of Edgar Allan Poe's The Cask of Amontillado, adapted by Paul Millet; H. P. Lovecraft's The Unnamable, adapted by Jeff G. Rack; and Charles Dickens' The Chimes, adapted by JoNathan Josephson.
"We are thrilled for the opportunity to produce Wicked Lit at Mountain View Mausoleum this fall. With the immense success of the Greystone production last year, it's clear there is great interest in the alternative venue aspect of Wicked Lit," said producer Paul Millet.
Millet is also the Artistic Director of Nom de Guerre Theatre Guild - an organization that produces Wicked Lit and is planning other special projects for future years. "The evolution of Wicked Lit from a simple idea in 2007 to a second full production in 2010 has been nothing short of remarkable," added Millet.
Rack and Josephson are also co-producers of the festival as well as writers and directors. "There is no better opportunity for us to showcase our passion for theatre, short stories, and alternative experiences all at the same time. The challenge is to make sure that our final production embodies the absolute best of what each of those fields has to offer - it's not going to be easy, but it's an exciting task to undertake," said producer JoNathan Josephson.
Producer Jeff G. Rack said, "Last year's Wicked Lit production at Greystone Mansion is a hard act to follow, but I'm confident that our audience is going to be thrilled with what we have in store for them at the Mountain View Mausoleum and Cemetery. I can't think of a better location for an interactive Halloween show than this."
Patrons of Wicked Lit will see three short plays over the course of an evening (Cask, Unnamable, and Chimes). Each play will be performed on a different part of the Mountain View Mausoleum and Cemetery campus. Attendees will be led to and from each play by a Story Guide.
The cast of Wicked Lit includes John T. Cogan, Eric Harris, Pamela Hill, William Joseph Hill, LizAnne Keigley, Shelby Kocee, Ilona Kulinska, Richard Large, Tanya Mironowski, Michael Perl, Katie Pelensky, Brian David Pope, Michael Prichard, Amy Rieckelman, and Ghislaine Sopher-Phillips.
The design team includes Art Direction/EFX by Jeff G. Rack, Costume Designer Christine Cover Ferro, Lighting Designer Ellen Monocroussos, Sound Designer Doug Newell and Make-up Designer Julie Pound.
Wicked Lit also produces an annual, region-wide play reading series - details on those events will be announced soon.
For tickets and more information for Wicked Literature: A Halloween Theatre Festival at Mountain View Mausoleum and Cemetery, go to wickedlit.org or call 818-242-7910
THE PLAYS:
Edgar Allan Poe's The Cask of Amontillado
Adapted by Paul Millet, Directed by JoNathan Josephson
Journey to the catacombs for a stirring retelling of Poe's classic tale of madness, unrequited love, and deception.
H. P. Lovecraft's The Unnamable
Adapted and Directed by Jeff G. Rack
Two teachers - one a man of science and one a follower of the occult - enter a graveyard on an ominous evening. If all goes according to plan, only one will return home.
Charles Dickens' The Chimes
Adapted by JoNathan Josephson, Directed by Paul Millet
In the spirit of A Christmas Carol (but with the bite of a ghost story), The Chimes is a haunting tale of renewal, goblins, and the ties the bind.
