A new take on the works of Edgar Allan Poe, titled 'Usher: A totally teen comedy,' brings a healthy mix of humor and drama to the stage. This creative play was derived from the famed short story titled 'The Fall of the House of Usher' and features creative effects and a dedicated cast to deliver a story that the audience will find both chilling and hilarious. True fans of Edgar Allan Poe will find themselves nudging the person next them as characters drawn from classics such as 'The Cask of Amontillado,' 'The Tell Tale Heart' and 'Annabel Lee' make their appearances, among other winks to his lesser-known works. 'Usher' will bring three more performances to the Cugnet Centre following last night's premier. Tickets can still be purchased from Pharmasave for their December 6th, 8th, and 10th performances, including the dessert theatre finale on the 10th.

Jonas Burdan has been acting in school productions since 4th grade, even expanding his skills by recently volunteering as a lighting technician for 'Newsies,' and says that he is looking forward to a more serious role.

"It's basically a new experience," he admitted. "Most of the time I'm more the comic relief, playing a fool who's fooling around. This time, it's going to be really hard not to break character and laugh at what's happening around me. I play Roderick, a very depressed homeowner who, as the play progresses, begins to see that there is more to life than depression and isolation."

Burdan was able to share that although the beginning of the play might start off a bit gloomy, the comedy peaks in the second half as the story reaches its conclusion.

Another prominent on-stage personality will be Eleanora, the self-doubting clairvoyant bent on conning her peers. Played by Harper Williams in her first WCS production, Eleanora's descent into paranoia and panic deepens as the con takes a turn on its maestro. Williams was elated to come across the Drama Club after taking her first steps into high school, especially after her past experiences on-stage at St. Michael School.

"I love musicals, but I think I prefer acting more," she said. "I always wanted to be in a Comp. production, then when I got here, I realized it was kind of intimidating! There's a bigger crowd, a bigger stage, really, a bigger production. So I'll be drawing from my past experiences to get over that, just being comfortable on stage."

Harper felt that the contrast between the sweet, intimate moments and scattered humor make the serious, dark moments of the play all the more captivating. 

"I also feel like a good fit for Eleanora," she mused. "It's fun to play a panicky character, because I feel like I'm just playing the inner version of myself! I just hope everybody enjoys it because it truly is a fun experience to come and watch."

Adding to the production is a dedicated team of stagehands and technicians who worked to bring ghastly figures to life in order to share the story of 'Usher'. Monica Raydor has previously performed as an actor but felt that those experiences have helped pave the way to being incredibly effective backstage. 

"I think having experience acting really helps me understand how to work well with the crew, and with the techs," she said. "I think it helps me bridge the gap and connect those two really well. I will be controlling the ghosts as we go, so I had to learn multiple lines for all the characters even though I’m not an actor!"

Those skills have proven to be invaluable in making sure the production runs smoothly. Coordinating special effects with the cast while being physically removed from the stage requires precise timing and an equal, if not greater dedication to memorizing lines. 

See the rousing tale for yourself and purchase your tickets for the remaining showtimes at Pharmasave! Showtimes are 7:00 p.m. December 6th and 8th, and 2:00 p.m. for the Dessert Theatre finale on December 10th. Official WCS release, HERE.

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