It goes by many names. The French call it la Veile de la Tous-saint. In Italy, it is la Vigilia d’Ognissanti. In Gaelic it goes by Samhain. Regardless of how it is spelled, the holiday known in America as Halloween is celebrated in virtually every culture around the globe. In theme with the season of frights, ghosts and ghouls, Toledo’s very own Glacity Theatre Collective has engineered a performance guaranteed to chill the blood of the most stalwart fans of the horror genre.
The production, titled “For the Devil Tells Me So,” is the brainchild of Glacity Theater Collective’s Assistant Artistic Director Megan Aherne, who wrote the script with colleague Sean Koogan. The play chronicles the final moments of a family’s struggle with their daughter who is possessed by the devil.
“I have always loved horror movies about demonic possession,” Aherne said. “I had the idea about a year ago and let it simmer in a notebook. I started talking about the idea to some friends, I was encouraged, and the ball started rolling.”
Glacity Theater Collective’s motto is “theatre in your face,” meaning that their performances are bold; “For the Devil Tells Me So,” certainly bolsters this claim. Not only is the play both gory and shocking, but the format will also be quite novel as well.
Set in a secret location
“The location of the show is secret and will be revealed to the purchaser of a $10 ticket,” Aherne explained. “Once the ticket is purchased, you will receive an invitation with location/parking information. I am able to say that it is a domestic performance in a house in
Toledo, therefore we are only able to hold 10 audience members at a time, and there will only be one performance per night.”
The audience will be guided through the house by the family’s butler, enabling them to witness the chilling events of the family’s demise.
“By placing this performance in a house, there is an element of realism that is unable to be achieved in a typical haunted house or stage production,” Aherne explained. “This allows for the evocation of fear in a completely different, possibly deeper way. It is almost as if we are creating a live horror movie that the audience can and will interact within.”
Actors four and lots of gore
The play’s cast includes four local actors. William Toth will play the role of the butler, Ashley Stephens will play the mother, Jamie Wilson the father, and Elif Erturk will act as the possessed daughter, Eris. Local artist John Juan will handle the show’s myriad of gory special effects.
“‘For the Devil Tells Me So’ is not for the faint hearted or weak of stomach,” Aherne cautioned. “There will be violence, vulgar language, offensive content, sexual innuendos and blood.”
For these reasons, the play can only be viewed by mature audience members, 18 years or older. The show’s location will remain secret until you purchase a ticket.
October 24-26 and October 30-November 1 at 9pm. $10 Tickets are limited to 10 people per show. Glacity Theater Collective accepts reservations for any of the performances, and are currently selling tickets. For ticket reservations, contact Megan Aherne at
[email protected].
