Chills coming to PACT stage
'NIGHT WATCH' NOV. 1-2, 8-10, 15-17

Suspense is on the marquee with a two-act play to begin next week at the Port Aransas Community Theatre, 2327 SH 361.

"Night Watch" by Lucille Fletcher will run Thursday and Friday, Nov. 1-2, and continue Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 8-10 and 15-17. Two matinees are set on Sundays, Nov. 11 and 18. No performance is set for Nov. 3, due to the annual Fall Back Festival being held that night.

Curtain times are 7:30 p.m. for night performances and 2:30 p.m. for the matinees.

Tickets are $15, and may be bought 45 minutes before each performance.

Seats may be reserved, and tickets may be purchased in advance at the theater on Thursdays and Fridays from noon to 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets also may be reserved or purchased at the Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce-Tourist Bureau, 421 W. Cotter Ave. or by calling the chamber at 749-5919.

The characters include Misty Hamm as Elaine Wheeler, Michael Cristian as John Wheeler, Ludmila Hagans as Helga, Alec Vetrone as Vanelli, Vince Micucci as Curtis Appleby, Melanie Camponovo as Blanche Cooke, Bob Erickson as Lieutenant Walker and Jim Hagans as Sam Hoke.

Alan Gardiner-Atkinson will direct and Pepper Pendzinski will be the assistant director. Larry Paton will be in charge of lighting design and sound. Larry Johnson will be in charge of set design. Larry Johnson, Pete McGrady, Jona Paul Songer, Gary Timms, Ken Stogsdale, Mike Thor and Henry Geckert will do set construction.

The story is about Elaine Wheeler, who, "unable to sleep, paces the living room of her Manhattan townhouse, troubled by unsettling memories and vague fears. Her husband tries to comfort her, but when he steps away for a moment Elaine screams as she sees (or believes she sees) the body of a dead man in the window across the way.

The police are called, but find nothing except an empty chair. Elaine's terror grows as shortly thereafter she sees still another body - this time a woman's - but by now the police are skeptical and pay no heed to her frantic pleas.

Her husband, claiming that Elaine may be on the verge of a breakdown, calls in a lady psychiatrist, who agrees with his suggestion that Elaine should commit herself to a sanitarium for treatment. From this point on, the plot moves quickly and grippingly as those involved, Elaine's old friend and house guest Blanche, the inquisitive and rather sinister man who lives next door and the nosy German maid Helga all contribute to the deepening suspense and mystery of the play as it draws towards its riveting and chilling climax."