Midwinter Night's Scream

A Midwinter Night's Scream

February
Directed by Chris Mackowski

From The Director & ProducerWinter is usually a quiet time for us at BLT. We do our playwright residency in November, then everyone gets wrapped up in the holidays, then we cloister ourselves up in our homes as protection against the snow and cold, and we wait it out until spring. Yes, the cast and crew for our spring show, God’s Favorite, are in the midst of rehearsals. But the rest of us were getting cabin fever. To pass the winter, a few of us have been reading. And now, we’ve decided, it’s time for us to read to you. So cozy up to the fireplace with us. We have a line-up of stories by some well-known writers and some writers you should know better. We’ve stayed away from the spooky classics (we figure you can read Poe or Lovecraft any ol’ time on your own), but don’t be fooled: we have plenty of surprises tucked away in the pages we’ve chosen. As tonight’s stories demonstrate, it doesn’t really matter who the author is because the scariest places are always in our own minds. Thanks for joining us. What better way to beat winter than with a chill or two down your spine!

—Diane and Chris and the entire cast & crew

The Luncheon by Sharyn McCrumb, from Foggy Mountain Breakdown read by Nanci K. Garris In which a college professor’s wife finds an unusual solution to an environmental problem

Old Rattler by Sharyn McCrumb, from Foggy Mountain Breakdown read by Carleton Campbell In which an old mountain man with the Sight helps catch a murderer, and then…

Bed by the Window by Bennett A. Cerf read by Stephanie Mackowski In which three men in a nursing home compete for a view to the outside world

Riddles in the Dark by J.R.R. Tolkien, from the original edition of The Hobbit read by Chris Mackowski In which Bilbo Baggins, separated from the dwarves and the wizard, plays a game with an unpleasant stranger

an excerpt from The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson read by Diane Kerner Arnett In which two women cling on to each other for dear life

The Man in the Middle an urban legend read by Desireé Himes In which a man takes a subway ride

The Matchmaker by Sharyn McCrumb, from Foggy Mountain Breakdown read by Hillary Uziel In which a computer dating service helps two people find their perfect matches

Attack of the Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons A Calvin & Hobbes adventure by Bill Watterson, adapted by Chris Mackowski read by the cast, featuring Richie Colosimo as Calvin additional reading by Jeremy Garris In which a young boy and his best friend must fend off an evil invasion

Special Thanks Refreshments for tonight’s event were graciously provided by Horizons gift shop. Horizons has been a loyal supporter, ticket outlet, and display showcase for BLT, and we are deeply appreciative of all they do.

A super big spooky thanks also goes out to: Patty “Schedule Girl” Colosimo Bridget Passauer The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Hill Memorial United Methodist Church The Bradford Era The Times Herald David Arnett Heidi Mackowski