Valley Performing Arts presenting ‘Nightfall with Edgar Allan Poe’ Friday

WASILLA— The Valley’s oldest production company, Valley Performing Arts, is about to present a local adaptation of a handful of Edgar Allen Poe classics Friday at 7 p.m.

“I loved Poe as a young teenager. I think a lot of young teenagers go through a Poe stage. They like the horror and the emotion,” director Elizabeth Hanson said on Monday night during their rehearsal.

Hanson is returning from her directing “retirement” for this play.

She has been an involved with VPA since 1999. The last VPA play she directed was “The Trip to Bountiful” in May of 2012, but she has remained active with the organization since.

“I work on one or two shows every season,” she said.

Sardari Love plays Policeman 2, one of the two officers at the climax of the “Tell Tale Heart” where Poe’s deranged character confesses his cold-blooded murder. This is Love’s first time acting with VPA, or officially on a stage for that matter. He said that his wife pushed him to audition.

“I took a theater class and she likes theater… There was no choice for me. I come here or I sleep on the streets,” he laughed.

Love said that his experience thus far has been fairly positive. He said that he’s worked with Alzheimer patients in the past and discovered the importance of staying active not just physically, but mentally as well. He that that it’s important to challenge your brain regularly, especially as you start to get older.

“It’s nice to get out of the house and be with other people to socialize and memorize. It helps keep your brain from decomposing,” he said.

Love said he plans to keep trying out for future rolls down the road.

“I really want to do this, especially when I’m older so I can keep my brain intact,” he laughed.

Throughout the years, VPA has welcomed anyone from the community to try out for a role or apply their skills to the overall production. Carpenters regular volunteer their time to build sets. Artists share their strokes for the backdrops.

Michael Sheehan plays Santé, the tortured prisoner sentenced to death in “The Pit and the Pendulum.”

“I read Poe when I was younger. Of course, everybody’s heard of “The Raven.” I think my favorite of his is ‘the” Cask of Amontillado,’” Sheehan said.

He decorated his face with makeup to make it appear beaten and bruised.

“It looks real! He said it was the first time he’d ever done it,” fellow actor Tammy Brehm exclaimed as everyone was setting up for their Monday night rehearsal.

Sheehan joked and said it was “muscle memory.” He’s been involved with VPA since 2012. He said that he didn’t act in high school and started acting later in his life.

“It keeps me busy so that’s good,” he said.

He said that acting in “The Tin Woman” with VPA “completely changed” his view of theater. He said that was his first substantial, leading role and he, “fell into it naturally.”

‘The director’s daughter had a heart transplant. My character Hank, he just fit me like a glove,” he said.

He said that “The Tin Woman” was very well received by the public and that was very encouraging and resonated with him.

“It got you in the guts,” he said.

To purchase tickets online or for more information, call 907-373-0195 or visit www.valleyperformingarts.org.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com

Nightfall will feature:

“The Raven,” “Fall of the House of Usher,” “The Pit and the Pendulum,” and “The Tell Tale Heart”

VPA Cast:

Edgar Allen Poe – Ted Carney; Edgar – Bryan Nelson; Roderick Usher – Paul Beer; Madeline Usher – Tammy Brehm; Santé – Michael Sheehan; Old Woman– Wendy Golter and Linda Frey; Policeman 1/Judge 1/the Raven – Clint White; Policeman 2/Judge 2 – Sardari Love

Performances, Oct. 19 to Nov. 4:

Fridays at 7 p.m.; Saturdays at 7 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m.