Afraid of the Dark? Just Wait...

I don't know about you, but January and February were two of the most shiver-me-timber months I think I've ever endured.  I tried to keep the creative embers alive, but the snow kept falling, and my attention kept drifting away.

However, just when I thought that my inner artistic self may never thaw out, I  saw Studio Players' brilliant presentation of Sam Shepard's True West.  A few weeks later, I found myself at a rehearsal for Beth Kander's See Jane Quit (brought to you by your friendly BCTC drama folk) and to my delight, was thoroughly entertained, couldn't wait to see the play in its entirety, in fact.

So it seems Lexington's theatre arts are alive, after all, and if we just make a little effort to support these local efforts, our winter doldrum olympics might just have their own closing ceremony and begone.  So, now what?

Next on my list is Studio Players' production of Wait Until Dark, which opens March 18 at the Carriage House.  Director Bob Singleton asked me if I wanted to observe the rehearsal process, and I was happy to agree, so photographer Erin Cutler and I dropped in a few weeks ago to see how the production was coming along. 

Since the main character in Wait Until Dark is blind, Singleton sought assistance from a visually impaired person to enable Sharon Sikorski (who plays Suzy) discover how to move about, search for items dropped or thrown on the floor, open and close doors, dial the phone - all everyday actions that those of us who are fortunate to have sight take for granted. Imagine walking alone somewhere and getting lost -- that would cause panic in anyone, but if you could not see, imagine how terrifying that would be!  Of course, in the play, Suzy must cope with not only her blindness, but she also literally has to feel her way to the truth and cope with the very present danger that lurks nearby.

Enter Linda Chung, an Asbury theology student who has lost most of her vision - her sight went from being able to see 5 feet away to only 1 1/2 feet within a 10-day period in college. 

Linda arrived at rehearsal ready to go, and before long the room was abuzz  as Chung answered the many thoughtful questions the cast and crew had for her, cheerfully dispensing information about the many physical and spatial adjustments that must be made, including how she became a linear thinker when she became blind, how to use upper and lower body protective techniques to prevent injury, and how to listen to the echo of the cane tapping the floor to determine one's whereabouts. 

Anticipating many of their questions ahead of their asking, Linda explained  that she never remains at a diagonal position when she enters a room or crosses a street, she focuses on being 'squared' to the doors and walls.  When an occasion arises that one gets lost, she always tells her students (she is an instructor who assists people who have recently become blind) to "not panic. When that happens, I just think of 'where did I go wrong, where do I remember being confident about my whereabouts,' and then go back to that point and start over."

Chung is an inspiration, a courageous, thoughtful expert in mobility training who appreciates the specific nuances Sikorski will utilize to accurately portray Suzy, and her assistance will prove invaluable for all the Studio Players who will be involved with Wait Until Dark.  With Singleton's attention to detail, Sikorski's devotion to her role, Henry Layton's expert on-stage combat choreography, and a top notch supporting cast and crew, this thriller is certain to send chills down your spine, even though Spring will be knocking on the door when it opens on March 18.

Wait Until Dark - March 18-April 4. 

More info at www.studioplayers.org

Wait Until Dark is a masterfully constructed play for fans of spine-tingling thrillers; it ran for two years on Broadway and the West End in the 1960s. The movie, starring Audrey Hepburn ranks up with such as Rear Window and Night Must Fall.

Photographer Sam unwittingly brings a doll filled with narcotics into London, and three hardened con-men uncoil a deadly deception to get it back. Sam’s wife is a beautiful young woman who happens to be blind. She thinks she is safe alone in their apartment – but a chair has been shifted from its usual position, a strange odor lingers in the air … and the terror is just beginning.

*All photos courtesy of Erin Cutler