Looking for a thriller to top-off your Halloween festivities? Then get tickets to “The Night Side” right now! It’s a play described best as “a ghost story performed on stage.”
In “The Night Side,” the masters of mystery and the macabre—Sherlock Holmes and Edgar Allan Poe—come together to bring you on a descent into madness, murder and the supernatural.
The play premieres at Gateway Playhouse in Somers Point on Halloween weekend, Friday, Nov. 2.
“The Night Side” is a psychological thriller where Sherlock Holmes—unnerved and tormented by his own terrifying ordeal—obsesses over the mysterious death of Edgar Allan Poe. His chilling encounters with the ghost of Poe uncover a horror as shocking as any of Poe’s “Tales of Terror.”
It’s a treat for theater to offer such a compelling blend of suspense, unexpected twists, dark secrets and spine-tingling revelations. The playwright and director Linda Swain extensively researched to create a story worthy of appreciation by fans of Arthur Conan Doyle’s beloved detective and the classic gothic tales of one of America’s most admired writers.
“For so long, it has been a dream to bring Sherlock Holmes and Edgar Allan Poe together in an extraordinary situation, a dark place of psychological trauma and moral challenges,” Swain shared. “I am so thrilled to bring this event to my town of Somers Point, and to the historic Gateway Playhouse, the perfect place to premiere this show.”
Leading the cast as Sherlock Holmes is John Isgro, who has portrayed the character many times.
“This play is not your normal ‘solve the mystery’ Sherlock Holmes story, so having the chance to play the character in such a dark and troubled mental state is actually quite freeing,” Isgro explained. “In the story, Linda has placed Holmes in a position he’s never been in before, so it definitely allows me to bring my own spin to the character and how the events of the play might be affecting him.”
Friends of the experienced South Jersey actor Jon Furey are excited to see him as Poe—a role that seems like a perfect fit. Furey has been a fan of Edgar Allan Poe for most of his adult life and believes it is an honor and a challenge to portray him. Get tickets today to see how he meets the challenge.
Scott Higbee is Watson. Higbee is a regular on area stages including at Holy Spirit High School where he teaches. Higbee noted that he has enjoyed playing the iconic Dr. Watson in this role where he is a competent, albeit less astute, partner to Holmes, rather than a bumbling sidekick. In “The Night Side,” Watson’s devotion to his beloved friend Holmes is evident through his frustration and extreme worry.
Rounding out the cast is Jaime Howey, Kimberley Cocchi, Ryan Daly and Marge Homan.
There will be four performances of “The Night Side” between Halloween weekend and the next. The premiere is Saturday, Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. with a matinee to follow on Sunday, Nov. 3 at 2 p.m. There are two 7 p.m. performances the following weekend on Friday, Nov. 8 and Saturday Nov. 9.
There is a “Dinner and a Show” promotion with the world famous Anchorage Tavern and discounted hotel rooms available as well. Follow the play’s social media for more details at https://www.facebook.com/TheNightSideGhostStory/ and https://www.instagram.com/the.night.side_a.ghost.story .
Tickets are on sale at GatewayByTheBay.org. In keeping with the Gateway Playhouse’s mission to make live theater more accessible, tickets are being offered at $25. For Group Ticket Sales at a discount, please call the box office at 609-653-0553.
