Alcove Dinner Theater opens season with classic thriller 'Wait Until Dark'

The Alcove Dinner Theater is proud to open its 2025–26 season with one of the most gripping psychological thrillers ever written, "Wait Until Dark," by Frederick Knott, in a new adaptation by Jeffrey Hatcher. The production runs Oct. 24-Nov. 22, with Friday and Saturday evening performances at 7:30 p.m. and two special matinee luncheons at noon on Saturday, Nov. 1, and Saturday, Nov.15. Reservations can be made online at alcoverestaurant.com.

This suspense-filled play has a long and celebrated history. Knott’s original "Wait Until Dark" opened on Broadway at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on Feb. 2, 1966. Directed by Arthur Penn, the production starred Lee Remick as Susan Hendrix and Robert Duvall as Roat, delivering performances that instantly solidified the play as a Broadway classic. That same year, the play premiered in London at the Strand Theatre, directed by Anthony Sharp, with Honor Blackman and Peter Sallis in the lead roles. Just one year later, in 1967, the story became a major motion picture directed by Terence Young. The film starred Audrey Hepburn, in one of her most acclaimed performances, alongside Alan Arkin in a chilling turn as the antagonist. Hepburn received an Academy Award nomination for her role, and the film itself remains a staple of suspense cinema.

In 2013, playwright Jeffrey Hatcher introduced a fresh new adaptation that relocated the play to 1944 Greenwich Village, heightening its wartime atmosphere and creating an added layer of tension. This version premiered at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles under the direction of Matt Shakman, with Allison Pill in the role of Susan. Hatcher’s reimagined version is the one set to thrill audiences at the Alcove this fall.

The story follows Susan Hendrix, a young blind woman who finds herself terrorized in her own apartment by con men searching for a hidden object. At first vulnerable, Susan slowly realizes that her blindness may give her an advantage as she fights to outwit her tormentors. The climax unfolds in near-total darkness, offering both the characters and the audience an experience that is as unsettling as it is unforgettable.

Directing the production is Kenyon College theater graduate Samantha Turner, making her Alcove Dinner Theater directing debut. Turner expressed her excitement about bringing this suspenseful story to life.

“'Wait Until Dark' is one of those shows that keeps you on the edge of your seat. It is written in such a way that the audience is left in the dark as much as our heroine, Susan. I’m looking forward to bringing the truth of these characters to light on one of the stages I grew up on,” Turner said.

Scenic designer and artistic director Bruce Jacklin described the creative challenges of adapting such a tense and intimate play for the Alcove’s stage.

“By placing the audience as close as four feet from the stage, we hope to create a space where the audience feels like they are in the same set of circumstances as the characters,” Jacklin explained. “As the scenic designer, I want the audience to feel some of the danger the principal character finds herself in by placing them right in the room with her. In a thriller like this, the atmosphere is everything, and the intimacy of the Alcove allows us to immerse the audience in a way larger theaters simply cannot.”

The cast features a dynamic ensemble of local talent and Alcove veterans: Susan – Kylie Stadler-Hoams, Mike – Caleb Gibbs, Sam – Taylor Jacklin, Carlino – Mason Mickley, Roat – Bruce Jacklin, Gloria – Sadie Ryals and Jillian Snow (alternating performances)

The production team brings together both experienced and emerging theater artists. Director – Samantha Turner, Stage Manager – Hannah Marshall, Scenic Designer – Bruce Jacklin, Lighting/Sound Designer – Ian Fasure-Ernsberger, Lighting & Sound Operator – Rodney Cheek, Hair Designer/stylist – Ruth Frady, Graphic Design & Poster Photography – Carrie Haver and Programs – Megan Evans.

The Alcove Dinner Theater’s combination of fine dining and live performance has made it a unique destination for theatergoers throughout the region. With "Wait Until Dark," audiences can look forward to an evening where the thrill of great storytelling pairs with the warmth of shared community around the table. Intimate seating, the suspenseful storyline, and immersive staging promise a theatrical experience unlike any other.

For those who love mysteries, psychological suspense, and classic theater, "Wait Until Dark" is a must-see event this fall.