JCTC to Present Frightful Double-Bill on Halloween Weekend

What better way to begin Halloween Weekend than with two Fear shows in one night?

As part of its ongoing Fear series exploring the many forms of social and personal anxiety, JCTC presents a double-bill of thought provoking, topical tales of fright - Anna in the Darkness and HORROR.

This two for the price of one theater event takes place Saturday, October 28th, at Merseles Studios, 339 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, N.J.

Anna in the Darkness - starring Anthony Wills Jr. - follows a small town teacher, who after being accused of committing a horrible crime, barricades herself in her house as an angry mob, howling for blood and justice, gathers outside. This haunting psychological thriller will have you pondering what is real and what is delusory up until the very end. Playwright Jeremy Menekseoglu has crafted a tale where the menace is truth, thus far scarier - and far more profound - than brainless zombies or thirsty vampires.

Anna in the Darkness has been performed to critical acclaim in Chicago and this will be its first Jersey City performance. About Anna in the Darkness, the Chicago Reader raved: "a devilish torture on the imagination."

"This amazing play that has been performed annually in Chicago by Dream Theater for the past 10 years," said Wills. "Not only does it display the fear a person in this situation experiences but also how fear drives the town to do the things it does. I've adored this play for years and also find myself a little frightened to take on this extraordinary character."

HORROR - created by and starring Elizabeth Anne Keiser - is a multimedia, and purely objective dark comedy, examining without explanation or comment, the bleak state of current events. Utilizing interactive video, music, visual art, poetry, and humor, HORROR tracks the challenges in our public schools, politics, and media. HORROR highlights juxtapositions such as heralded children's literature depicting crass violence, good intentions by greedy narcissists, and bare naked souls afraid to be physically nude. Although often terrifying, the play offers a glimmer of hope and the cathartic laughter needed by everyone.

HORROR has been performed and developed at the Aurora in Providence, Rhode Island. HORROR culminates with a fashion show designed by Jennifer Avery (Jenniferlavery.com), who has an upcoming 3-month installation at The Palais de Tokyoin in Paris.

"HORROR connects with the theme of Fear, as demonstrated by current events, because the result of acting out of fear is horror," said Keiser "I'm looking forward to sharing this show with the eclectic and savvy audience drawn to JCTC for its reliably innovative programming."

Wills is Artistic Director of A.P.P. (Artistic Pride Productions) is an actor and performance artist who's performed all over the country including JCTC, The New Museum, Steppenwolf, Utah Shakes, Milwaukee Rep. He's performed with Susan Sarandon, Philip Glass, and Tony nominee Marla Schaffel.

Elizabeth Anne Keiser took a hiatus from theater to run a literacy-based behavior intervention program in Rhode Island. She is now returning to the New York/New Jersey area, where previously she produced her shows: The Big Red Wagon, Perversion Incognito (for which she was awarded the RISCA Playwriting merit), The Fowl Seducktion, Time for a Home, Be A Walking, Mechanisms, and assorted comedy pieces at EST, Catch a Rising Star, the West Bank, the Westbeth, and NYTW. Her television credits include: AMC, Lifetime, and PBS. For over six years she was an actor with the O'Neill Playwriting Conference and the 52nd Street Project.

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IF YOU GO:

Anna in the Darkness/HORROR
Saturday/October 28
Doors 7:30/ Show 8:00
(there will be a 15 minute intermission between performances;
a talk-back with both artists concludes the show)

At Jersey City Theater Center, Merseles Studios, 339 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07302

Tickets: $20 ($15 for Students & Senior Citizens, Valid ID required)
To purchase tickets visit: www.JCTCenter.org or call (201) 795-5386

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Jersey City Theater Center, Inc. (JCTC) presents programming at Merseles Studios and White Eagle Hall. JCTC is a nonprofit, 501c3 arts organization committed to inspiring conversations about the important topics of our times through innovative and progressive performing and visual arts that celebrates diversity, bringing communities closer together and enhancing the quality of life.

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