A psychological thriller finds a home at the Kennedy Theatre this summer in the adaptation of Henry James' chilling ghost story Turn of the Screw by playwright Jeffrey Hatcher.
Based on the provocative tale of suspense, horror and repressed sexuality, Hatcher's adaptation gives the famous story yet another turn of its own. A young governess journeys to a lonely English manor house to care for two recently orphaned children. But she is not their first governess. Her predecessor, Miss Jessel, drowned herself when she became pregnant by the sadistic valet, Peter Quint, who was himself found dead soon after under mysterious circumstances. Now the new 
governess has begun to see the specters of Quint and Jessel haunting the children, and she must find a way to stop the fiends before it is too late. But one frightening question tortures the would-be heroine: Are the ghosts real, or are they the product of her own fevered thoughts. Considered by the New York Times to be a "dazzling act of the imagination, Mr. Hatcher has pushed James' clever turn to its furthest degree."
Dana Marks is a graduate of the American Repertory Theatre/Moscow Art Theatre Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard and has performed across the U.S., Russia, Italy, and Germany. Credits include: Highway Ulysses (American Repertory Theater), Macbeth (ETA Hoffmann Theatre; Ger.), Phaedra 4.48 (Moscow Art Theater, Rus/Italy). She performs and directs proudly with her award-winning company, Little Green Pig, exploding the classics and creating original plays. Dana has taught at NC State, The ArtsCenter in Carrboro, and currently teaches acting at Duke University.
David McClutchy is an actor, teacher and stage combat choreographer here in the triangle. He has acted with: Playmakers Repertory Theatre Company, Theatre in the Park, The Carolina Ballet, Temple Theatre, Raleigh Little Theatre, Deep Dish Theatre, Theatre of the American South, Bare Theatre and the Actors Comedy Lab.
For Hot Summer Nights' Associate Artistic Director Adam Twiss, wearing the director's hat and working with Marks and McClutchy has been an honor. "I was delighted when the folks at Hot Summer Nights approached me about directing a show for the season; I have always appreciated their commitment to quality productions, and to ensemble, actor-driven material...and I had a chilling, summertime ghost story in mind that I thought would be a wonderful fit...and you can be sure that Marks and McClutchy are incredible in these roles", says Twiss.
Joining Twiss on his production team are Kristin Grieneisen (Production Stage Manager), Chris Wallen (Assistant Stage Manager) Curtis Jones (Lighting Designer/Tech Director), Phil Valera (Sound Designer), Leanne Heintz (Properties Mistress), Casey Watkins (Costume Designer).
Turn of the Screw opens at the Kennedy Theatre on July 29th and runs through August 9th. Wednesday through Saturday performances at 8 PM and Sunday matinees at 3 PM. Tickets are now on sale now through Ovation Tickets by calling 866-811-4111 or online at ovationtix.com Individual tickets are just $22.00. Senior Adults (65 and over), Military and Students (with valid ID) are $18. Group discounts can be arranged by calling 919-633-6038. The new musical Drift (Sept 12-20) premieres at the new Lauren Kennedy and Alan Campbell Theatre at Barton College in Wilson, NC and closes the season at the Kennedy (Sept 23-27). For more information, please visit the Theatre's website: www.hotsummernightsatthekennedy.org.
