Suspense, betrayal, and murder are just a few of the themes of Dalton State College’s latest theatrical endeavor, “Night Must Fall.” The three-act drama is directed by Jackie Daniels and will be produced in the City Park School auditorium Thursday through Saturday, April 3-5, at 7 p.m., with a matinee Saturday, April 5 at 2 p.m.
“Night Must Fall” was penned by actor-turned-playwright George Emlyn Williams in 1935. Set in a bungalow in a remote forest of Essex, England, the story revolves around Mrs. Bramson, a wealthy elderly lady, her niece Olivia, their servants, and a mysterious young man named Dan. What ensues is a tale rife with dramatic tension, secrecy, and questions about human nature.
For Ms. Daniels, Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts at Dalton State, choosing this semester’s production was centered around both the desire to present audiences with something new and different from the College’s theatre program and expanding her actors’ repertoires.
“I wanted to direct this play not just because I love mysteries and psychological thrillers, but I also wanted an opportunity to do some acting coaching that was a bit more in-depth,” she said. “This play has complex characters and thus involves an understanding of human behavior, which will be intriguing to audiences.”
The play’s cast and crew consists of Dalton State students, among them Colton Taylor as the Lord Chief Justice, Jasmyne Fletcher as Mrs. Bramson, Roniqua Wright as Olivia Grayne, Sean Self as Hubert Laurie, Kenna Bright as Mrs. Terrence, Amy Hartline as Dora Parkoe, Alyssa Stromley as Nurse Libby, and Nate Payne and Scott Reese as Dan. Assistant director Joshua Beard will also be playing the part of Inspector Belsize. Crew includes Malik Barton, Laurie Raper, Amber Deal, and Kirsten Ellis. The set was designed and constructed by Daniels’ Play Development class.
“Although we do not have a theatre degree in place yet at Dalton State, we do have many talented actors on our campus. It is such a delight to discover them and set them in motion on stage,” said Ms. Daniels.
“Night Must Fall” will be performed in the auditorium of City Park School, 405 School Street, at 7 p.m. April 3, 4, and 5 and also at 2 p.m. on April 5. Tickets are $5 for the general public; Dalton State students, faculty, and staff with a current ID will be admitted at no charge.