Bad girls and bloodlust
Pulling the curtain back on terror, tricks and treats near T-Town
From the idyllic American era of the “nuclear family” to Victorian Europe, theatre companies in Tulsa’s suburbs are exploring stories where cravings have a body count. As the nights grow darker this month, chill-seekers can test out local theatre’s versions of two epic tales of psychological horror.
The Bad Seed
October 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26
Broken Arrow Community Playhouse
When young Martha Cherbini first saw the film version of The Bad Seed—a twisted tale of a young murderer—she was terrified. Although she’s directing the stage production for Broken Arrow Community Playhouse, things haven’t changed that much.
“What has surprised me is how intense my emotional reaction is,” she said. “I think the audience is going to be totally engaged in the story, just like they were with the movie.”
The novel by William March was very quickly taken from page to screen and stage in the 1950s, when debates about “nature versus nurture” were increasingly used in attempts to explain children’s behavior. Connecting the story of tiny murderer Rhoda Penmark to that time and our own, Cherbini explains why wicked acts by troubled offspring spark such fascination from the public.
“[The 1924 murder by university students] Leopold and Loeb had already happened, so we knew that children were capable of cold-blooded murder, but they were older than Rhoda, and they were boys,” Cherbini said. “The idea of an 8-year-old girl as a calculating killer was new, exciting, and intriguing for audiences.”
On the surface, Rhoda exhibits the charm and grace of a proper little lady. Scratch off a layer and she becomes a monster capable of killing on a whim. In searching for someone to cast as Rhoda, the director sought a girl who could appear extremely young but have the maturity to understand the script.
“She will absolutely give you the creeps,” Cherbini said with a smirk.
It’s this sort of tension that culminates in a revealing struggle. As Rhoda’s mother begins to realize her daughter’s dark reality, her ambivalence forces her to grapple with her own role in the murders.
“There’s something so weird about a child committing murder,” Cherbini said. “I think audiences will relate to her mother’s gradual understanding of just what her daughter has done, her despair, and her guilt that somehow she is the cause.”
Dracula
Oct. 23-25
Central Ninth Grade Center Auditorium
Originally published in 1897, “Dracula’s” iconic tale of the undead remains as intriguing as ever. The clash between the title character and his enemies has been analyzed for years, but the subtext of the fray keeps the story fresh and compelling.
Relatively new to the local arts scene, The Page Players at Sand Springs Community Theater took on “Dracula” in an ambitious move to ramp up their efforts. Board President Patty Dixon said the company has had all hands pitching in to realize the production.
“Sidney Nelson Hunt has been wanting to direct this show for several seasons and finally got her wish,” Dixon said. “However, the week after auditions, she had knee surgery, and so Mollie McBride [Rogers] stepped in until she recuperated—which was a month into the show.”
Bram Stoker’s novel has been adapted in this iteration by American playwright Steven Dietz. Breathing life into the world’s most infamous vampire, the stage version capitalizes on the creepy but steers clear of the campy.
The joint directorship requires the cast to be adaptable, and the show is “very heavy on props, sound effects and lights,” Dixon said. But production hasn’t been without its moments of levity.
“In the beginning of rehearsals, there was so much joking around with the lines that I thought we were definitely producing a comedy,” Dixon said. The flexibility and humor keep this group together and prepared for opening night.
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