PGLT's THE UNINVITED Approaches Opening at Bowie Playhouse

Prince George's Little Theatre will produce the classic ghost story "The Uninvited" at the Bowie Playhouse from April 28 to May 13. All Friday performances and Saturday performances April 29 and May 6 are at 8 p.m. The Sunday performances April 30 and May 7 and the closing performance Saturday, May 13 are 2 p.m. matinees. The play is directed by Keith Brown and produced by Malia Murray.

The play is set at Cliff End, an isolated house looming high over the sea in England's West country. Once an impressive country home, Cliff's End has spent much of the past 15 years unoccupied; and the shabby rooms and wild garden show its neglect.

The house's new owners at first find the house's dark atmosphere intriguing. Pamela Fitzgerald (played by Hannah Allen) looks forward to returning the house to its former glory, while her brother Roddy (Peyton Johns) wants to get out of their busy London lives to concentrate on writing a play.

The house is being sold by Stella Meredith (Emma Safford), whose mother died on the cliff when she was a young child, shortly before her father was killed in a boating accident. Stella is a lovely girl of 18 whose fresh beauty catches Roddy's eye from their first meeting. However, she is under the stern control of her grandfather Commander Brooke (Danny Brooks), who has raised Stella with the help of Miss Holloway (Millie Ferrara). Miss Holloway was Stella's governess following the death of her mother Mary and the only witness to the death of Mary Meredith.

Very soon the Fitzgeralds hear rumors that the house may be haunted. Lizzie Flynn (Linda Smith), the superstitious Irishwoman who runs the household, may have seen a ghost. She is supported by the neighboring farm woman, Mrs. Jessup (Jeanne louise), who knows all about the mysterious deaths that have occurred in the house. Also contributing to the tale is Dr. Scott (David Chalmers), who knew Mary and can provide information about her marriage to the painter Llewellyn Meredith and the effect on their lives of Carmel, the painter's model.

Questions continue to mount. Is there a ghost? If so, who is it? What does it want? Were murders done in the house? When two of the Fitzgerald's friends are invited to a house warming, things become even more tense. Max Hilliard (Matt Leyendecker) is an artist who knows something of the history of Llewellyn Meredith; and Wendy Carey (Susan Harper) is an actress who is also adept at reading the tarot cards. As each question is answered, a new one arises.

All performances take place at the Bowie Playhouse, 16500 White Marsh Park Drive, Bowie, Maryland. Regular-priced tickets ($22 for adults and $17 for students and seniors) can be purchased at www.pglt.org, by calling (301) 937-7458, or at the box office prior to each performance if tickets are remaining. Groups of ten or more can purchase tickets in advance for $15 a ticket. There are directions to The Playhouse and more details on ticket purchases at PGLT's website: www.pglt.org.

To post a comment, you must register and login.