Cabrini Theatre’s annual fall play this year was Edgar Allan Poe’s “Tintinnabulations.”
The play consisted of telling Edgar Allan Poe’s story as he shares his last moments with his dying wife Sissy. Flashbacks of young Poe living with his foster father John Allan are also shown throughout the play along with many reenactments of Poe’s poems.
This was a very different and more serious show than what Cabrini Theatre has done in the past. They usually begin the year with some sort of light hearted comedy and then end the year with a big musical.
“Being fresh off of ‘How To Succeed’, where the stage was full of color and music and fun, it’s a huge twist to all of a sudden be in a dark place and be these ghosts and dark people,” sophomore cast member, Matt Keelan said. “I’ll admit it took a bit of time to adjust and really find enjoyment out of it, but I’ve come to really like what we’re doing here, and everybody has put together a really amazing show and I am so proud of what we were able to accomplish.”
The stage was very dark and dreary with Poe’s cottage and the Allan house being the main focused sets. Sound also took a prominent role in making the audience get a feel for the show before it even begins.
“I am the sound tech for this play so its a fancy way of saying I press go for the sound cues and set the tone for the play,” senior sound tech Becky Healy said. “I play the bell sounds and spooky music. I basically set the tone for the play.”
The acting was very professional and Cabrini student actors and actresses completely transformed themselves into their dark, creepy and some even crazy characters.
“I play the Servant from Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’,” Keelan said. “The way I prepare for this role is that since I have a lot of down time leading up to my scene, I go to a space where I’m all alone, and I sit in my characters chair by myself for a while and just mentally prepare myself to turn into such a dark and creepy character. It’s weird, but it works.”
As the play progresses the audience is revealed more and more about Edgar Allan Poe’s life. His past love with Elmira Shelton, the inspirations to some of his most famous poems and what happens after Sissy’s death.
The scene after Sissy’s death shocks audience every night and the actors thrive off of their reactions. The play is so unexpected and different for Cabrini Theatre but seems to be all the buzz as it goes into its closing weekend.
“Originally my only intentions was to see my friends who were in it,” sophomore Lili Ayllon said. “But after the first couple of scenes I saw my friends act in a way I’ve never seen them before and it totally impressed me. Also the ending is so shocking and creepy. I did not expected it at all.”
The cast of this play was nothing short of amazing. They demanded your attention from the first to the last surprising scene. David Strouse played Edgar Allen Poe like a true professional. You felt ever bit of the sad, scared, tortured sole that he was. Amazing!