Little Theatre presents dark thriller

Edge-of-your-seat suspense. That describes the final 20 minutes — performed in the dark — of Greenwood Little Theatre’s current production.

“Wait Until Dark,” written by Frederick Knott and directed by Will Perkins, debuted at the W.M. Whittington Jr. Playhouse Thursday evening to a large crowd.

The set details carried the audience back in time to the 1960s. As the play begins, three con men (Justin Tate as Mike Talman, Tom Weldon as Sgt. Carlino and Stephen McIntyre as Harry Roat) are introduced, and the background of the play’s plot is revealed.

“Wait Until Dark” centers around the con men’s search for a special doll, which they believe is at the home of Sam and Suzy Hendrix (Bob Draper and Elaine Tharpe), who reside in a basement apartment in Greenwich Village, New York. One of the con men is even willing to kill for this doll.

The con men soon encounter Suzy, who is blind. They think retrieving the doll is going to be an easy task. Unfortunately for the con men, Suzy is more than capable of protecting herself.

From the moment Tharpe enters the stage, she fully transforms into the character of Suzy. Her movements as a blind woman are natural. She also delivers her lines flawlessly, which allows the audience to understand her character better and get drawn even deeper into the story.

Gloria (Liya Wilson) is a great supporting character who is Suzy’s neighbor and helper.

During the play, Suzy is resourceful and clever, and she even uses her disability as an advantage.

After the first half of the play builds the plot and focuses on character development, the second half is gripping and fast-paced, which leaves the audience in complete suspense until the end.

As soon as the lights go off, the thrills begin.

The final moments in the play include a showdown between Suzy and one of the con men. Both actors create the perfect anxiety-inducing scene.

The play has some chilling moments toward the end, but has some comedy, too, making a great balance.

The hard work of the actors and the creative team is evident as this must-see thriller unfolds.

“Wait Until Dark” contains content that is not suitable for children.

To purchase tickets or season memberships or make seat reservations, visit www.greenwoodlittletheatre.com or call 947-1075. Tickets may be purchased at the door for $15 for adults and $10 for those under 21.