For Immediate Release: September 7, 2006
Media Contact: Amy Watson Bish, Delaware Theatre Company, 302.594.1104 x244

Audiences will get an extra dose of Halloween chills when Delaware Theatre Company opens its 28th season with a classic Henry James ghost story, The Turn of the Screw. Adapted for the stage by Jeffrey Hatcher (Mitch Albom's Tuesdays With Morrie), The Turn of the Screw tells the haunting story of a young governess who begins seeing apparitions while caring for two children on an isolated English estate. Directed by DTC's Producing Director Anne Marie Cammarato, The Turn of the Screw starts previews Wednesday, October 18; opens Saturday, October 21; and runs through Sunday, November 5. Tickets are $28-$48 and may be purchased by calling the DTC box office at 302.594.1100 or in person at 200 Water Street, Wilmington. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.delawaretheatre.org.

Based on Henry James' provocative tale of suspense and horror, Jeffrey Hatcher's adaptation of The Turn of the Screw 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 after an affair with 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 phantoms real, or are they the product of her overheated imagination?

"Jeffrey Hatcher's The Turn of the Screw is a terrific adaptation of a classic ghost story," says Cammarato, who directed last season's The Nerd by Larry Shue. "I love bringing literature to the stage, particularly this haunting and mysterious tale. It's a challenging play, with the opportunity to showcase two strong actors and great theatricality. It makes for a chilling Halloween experience and a wonderful kick off to our season of great storytelling."

The "two strong actors" Cammarato speaks of are Erin Moon and Michael Polak, both of whom will make their DTC debut. Moon will play the Governess, while Polak will play all the other roles: Mrs. Grose, the housekeeper, the Uncle, and Miles, the little boy. "It would be as if the Governess were relating a story to us," Hatcher's explains in the play's notes, "and using the other actor, this one man, to help her depict all the characters who were verifiably real."

The artistic team behind Cammarato is set designer Eric Schaeffer; costume designer Devon Painter; lighting designer Tyler Micoleau; sound designer Shannon Zura; dialect coach Stanton Davis; and stage manager Sara Tantillo.

The Turn of the Screw by Jeffrey Hatcher runs October 18-November 5, 2006. Opening Night is Saturday, October 21. Evening performances are Wednesday through Saturday at 8PM (except 10/27); matinee performances are Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 2PM (except 10/18 and 10/21); and a special Friday Early Show on October 27 at 6:30PM. Tickets are $28-$48, depending on the performance day and time, with special discounts for students, seniors, and groups of 10 or more. DTC also offers its Bring a Teen program: every adult that purchases a regular ticket can receive one free ticket to bring a teenager (ages 13-19) to the performance. Bring a Teen tickets must be purchased in person at the box office (teenager must be present at time of purchase) one hour prior to the performance.

Delaware Theatre Company's 2006-2007 season is sponsored by JPMorgan Chase. Corporate Co-Producer for The Turn of the Screw is Alico, and Media Sponsor is WRTI. Artist transportation provided by Amtrak. Programs are made possible, in part, by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency committed to promoting and supporting the arts in Delaware. The Delaware Division of the Arts provides technical and financial assistance to artists and arts programs and serves as a clearinghouse for information on the arts.

Delaware Theatre Company, Delaware's premier professional theatre, is located at 200 Water Street, on Wilmington's exciting Riverfront. Delaware Theatre Company is a member of the League of Resident Theatres, Theatre Communications Group, the Arts Consortium of Delaware, the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia, the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, the Arts & Business Council of Greater Philadelphia, the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce, and the Wilmington Convention & Visitors Bureau.

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