By Natasha Muhametzyanova, Contributing Writer

Kelly Theatre will get spooky as WLU students are about to present a new production Poe: Master of the Macabre. The play opens tonight, Oct. 20, at 7:30 p.m.

“Poe: Master of the Macabre” is a theatrical adaptation by playwright and actor John Hardy of three works of Edgar Allan Poe: William Wilson, The Telltale Heart, and The Pit and The Pendulum. He previously brought his one-man play, Rattlesnake to Kelly Theater.

“It is not standard storytelling. It is a modern piece that takes modern liberties.  Most of the set is suggested and audiences are going to have to use their imaginations to fill in the gaps,” said play director Michael Aulick.

“It is a great piece for actor training.  Each actor plays multiple characters and they have to change those roles on an instant. I have wanted to do it for several years,” he said.

The production will have two casts – Edgar cast and Allan cast what gave more students an opportunity to get involved but also gave more work to the crew.

“It is way harder on the staff. The stage managers and I have to do extra rehearsal so both casts are ready. We will have extra laundry to do, extra work on costuming, but Meta and I are committed to it,” said Aulick.

Edgar Cast includes Jedediah Shook, Callie Carroll, Brady Dunn, Carly Balog, Daniel White, Maria Matsakis, Kobe Wade.

Allan Cast includes Zac Morris, Alex Burdick, Alex Franke, Amanda Tamplen, Alex Gordon, Sarah Lemley, Grant VanCamp.

The Edgar cast performs on Oct. 21, 27, 30. The Allan cast that performs on Oct. 20, 28, 29.

To purchase tickets, call the WLU Ticket Office at 304.336.8277.

Photo by Ingrid Young