Belleville Theatre Guild

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Press Release
January 9, 2012

The Belleville Theatre Guild,  - 256 Pinnacle Street, Belleville
(613) 967-1442

Cast Members: Little Women, Left to Right:Al Zaback, Jean Paul Thibeau, Regan Girard, Robin Everhardus

Wait Until Dark Deliciously Terrifying

Belleville: This is a tale wrapped around a primal fear as old as storytelling itself. It’s the plight of the woman alone, stalked by overwhelming, deadly and often unseen forces.

Welcome to the Belleville Theatre Guild’s third production of its Sixtieth Anniversary Season. Your blood will run cold when you watch Wait Until Dark, a thriller by Frederick Knott.

Knott puts a vulnerable woman at the mercy of the bogie man – upping the stakes by making the woman blind. She becomes the target of a ruthless drug dealer and his reluctant underlings.

They are looking for heroin which her husband has innocently transported from Canada concealed inside a doll. Suzy is an endearing and resilient heroine, played by Robin Everhardus, who recently graced the Pinnacle Playhouse stage as the lead in Oklahama! Also in Susy’s corner is Gloria, a damaged little girl with her own demons to face, played by 11 year old Regan Girard.

Roat, played by Al Zaback, leads his companions into thinking they are going to be rich when they get the heroin. His fellow conmen are played by newcomer Jean Paul Thibeau and Roli Tipper, in a welcome return to the Pinnacle Playhouse stage. Also in the cast are two more new actors to our stage, Francine Bouma and Robert Coultis playing cops. Mike Leeming, who wowed the audience in last year’s She Stoops to Conquer, plays the part of the husband.

As in all productions performed on our stage this season, this show was an audience favourite from our archives. Professional director Roy Higgins worked with actors Brian Gordon, Ron MacPherson, James Williams, Sandra Forte, Gary Lafferty, Tammy Redi, Peter Hicks and Nick Doornbos in January 1970. His producer was Lois Summerville.

The seasoned and skilled director of our anniversary production, Steve Forrester was asked why he chose this play, he said “I had never done a thriller before and I remembered that when I saw the movie version, it scared the pants off me. I would like the
opportunity to do the same to our audience. A good scare is very therapeutic.”

The producer of this show is Pat Gray. The set was designed by BTG newcomer Darrell Nelham, who designed the sound for Jitters last year. He is starting up his own young player’s company. Liz Marshall is designing the lighting, with assistance from Ozz MacDonald, who played the nervous playwright in Jitters.

This production is also a real family affair. The set décor is being done by Moira Nikander Forrester and son Miles has created a suitably spooky score.

The play first opened on Broadway in 1966. It was made in to a move in 1967, which starred Audrey Hepburn and Alan Arkin.

The Belleville Theatre Guild offers elevator service right in to the theatre, a barrier-free washroom and room in the front row for wheel chairs and other mobility devices.

Don’t miss Wait Until Dark February 2 to 18. Tickets are $18.00 and we offer thirteen performances including two Sunday matinées. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., call the box office at 613-967-1442 to order your tickets or use the button below to order them online. You will be on the edge of your seat until the last gasp of its bloody conclusion.

Submitted by
Debra Tosh