Kirk Players to present 'The Uninvited'
Kirk Players will open their 50th season with the American supernatural mystery, "The Uninvited," directed by the group's veteran director Jon Leslie Lynn.
The ghost story will open Friday, Sept. 18, at 7:30 p.m. at Mundelein High School, 1350 Hawley St., Mundelein. Performances will be offered Saturday, Sept. 19, at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 20, at 2 p.m.
"We're excited to present this ghost story, which has a healthy dose of whodunit and even a dash of romance," said Lynn. "Some of our longtime subscribers will remember the movie, which was released in 1944 with Ray Milland and Ruth Hussey, as the first film where Hollywood presented a ghost story in a serious vein. We are having a lot of fun creating the chills and other supernatural special effects, sure to entertain our audiences."
The story is based on Roddy Fitzgerald (played by Ari Cohen) and his sister Pamela (played by Marilee C.C. Wald) who fall in love with an abandoned mansion on the rocky coast of the Irish Sea. They purchase the house for an unusually low price from Commander Brooke (played by Patrick Blake).
The Fitzgeralds' early enchantment with the house fades when they begin to experience inexplicable occurrences that suggest there are spirits present. Spurred on by their superstitious housekeeper, Lizzie Flynn, (played by Bobbie LaBelle), the Fitzgeralds eventually face the obvious - the house is haunted.
Rounding out the cast are Sierra Shields as Stella Meredith, Jessica Motyka as Mrs. Jessup, Mandy Stebbins as Wendy, Jim Stahl as Max Hilliard, Robert Markle as Dr. Scott, and Kat Basso as Miss Holloway.
Supporting Lynn are assistant director Brian Motyka, stage managers Lexi Hazen and Meghan Lane and technical director Jeff Griffith. Also, Brenda Sparks, set design; Chuck Fitz-Hugh, lighting design; James Torbeck, sound design; Fran Hansen, prop mistress; Amy Sharer, costume mistress; and Gary Gunther, special effects design.
Tickets and more information about the show are available by calling (847) 521-6192 or visiting www.kirkplayers.org.