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Public Relations and Marketing | Published Oct 26, 2020
Don’t let the fear of trying something new keep you from being entertained by this fall’s College of Lake County (CLC) theatre department virtual performance of “The Twisted Tales of Poe.” Ironically debuting on Friday the 13th of November, this show is a radio-style drama featuring four of Edgar Allan Poe’s scariest stories, “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Cask of Amontillado,” “The Raven” and “The Black Cat.” And it is entirely free to attend.
Director and CLC theatre chair Craig Rich said the darker side of Poe is intriguing to many who enjoy suspense and like to be scared. “Using the technology at hand, our students will convey all this and more,” he said. “The story transferred exceptionally well to the new mode of delivery and has been accepted wholeheartedly by those in this production who are excited to bring Poe into your home.” 
Beginning with the online auditions open to all CLC students as well as the community, Rich was dedicated to finding a way to involve all who wanted to participate. "I feel fortunate that we have been able to safely move forward with our classes and productions. It's vital that we give our students the opportunity to keep learning."
Students are just as excited about the opportunity to perform, such as Ara Bonsignore who said, “It's great to be able to do theater again. Especially with such an amazing story to work with.”
Helen Murphy, who also performed in the October show “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” said, “Working on this production has been super enjoyable and rewarding. I always look forward to coming together as a cast and crew and it’s nice to have a routine, especially in such precarious times as these. I like being able to work hard towards a final product as a team.”
There is nothing lost in this virtual production; cast will have costumes and make-up, scenery will be created in each performer’s home using a green screen, sound will be created live similar to old radio shows to include creaking doors and loud footsteps. The cast is having fun creating voices for the multiple characters they play and interjecting the “creepy vibe” to truly depict Edgar Allan Poe.
"Acting, performing live music and off-screen sound effects all in one production is an experience I won't soon forget,” said student performer Lucero Martinez.
Murphy says the audience should watch because, “There is a lot of uncertainty, anxiety, and isolation in the world we’re currently living in. I think Poe’s work completely encapsulates how those feelings mentally and physically affect human beings to the extreme.”
Register online to tune in and turn off the lights, if you dare.
About College of Lake County
College of Lake County is a comprehensive community college committed to equitable high-quality education, cultural enrichment and partnerships to advance the diverse communities it serves in northeastern Illinois. Offered at three campuses in Grayslake, Vernon Hills and Waukegan or online, college classes are affordable and accessible to help each student achieve academic, career and personal goals. More than 70,000 students graduated with degrees and certificates since the college opened in 1969. The College of Lake County is the only higher-education institution ranked among the top 15 best places to work in Illinois by Forbes and is a national leader in many areas, including sustainability and conservation. Learn more at www.clcillinois.edu or call (847) 543-2000.