COCA Presents THE TURN OF THE SCREW This Weekend

COCA Presents 2013-2014 stages four performances of The Turn of the Screw, tonight and tomorrow, October 25-26. Henry James' provocative psychological thriller has a contemporary re-telling by Jeffrey Hatcher. A governess alone in the English countryside suspects the orphans in her care are connected to spirits she sees roaming the estate. Does something sinister lurk behind the children's innocent faces, or are the ghosts just a product of her own fevered imagination?

Shawna Flanigan directs this imaginative two-person adaptation of one of the most terrifying ghost stories of all time, in which nothing is verified and everything is delivered through the power of suggestion. Perfect for Halloween, this COCA production is recommended for teens and adults.

The Turn of the Screw, a horror gothic fiction novella, was originally published on October 13, 1898, in The Two Magics. Written by Henry James, it was published by William Heinemann in London and The Macmillan Company in New York City. Both the US and UK first editions also included the story Covering End. The original story has been adapted for use on stage, on screen and in print, including film, television, radio, opera, ballet, literature and more.

The Turn of the Screw features Josh Routh as The Man and Jennifer Theby Quinn as The Woman. The Turn of the Screw is directed by Shawna Flanigan, with assistant direction by Amanda Pintore and Veronica Silva, costume design by Rosemary Pini and lighting design by Maureen Berry.

COCA Presents 2013-2014: The Turn of the Screw Written by Jeffrey Hatcher, adapted from The Turn of the Screw by Henry James at the Founders' Theatre at COCA, 524 Trinity Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63130 on Friday, October 25, 7:00pm and 9:00pm Saturday, October 26, 7:00pm and 9:00pm. Tickets ($20) are available for purchase online at www.cocastl.org, by phone at 314.561.4877 or in person at COCA during regular building hours. Subscription packages comprised of at least six season shows (Kids, Tweens, Teens & Adults and Choose Your Own) are also available.

COCA Presents is COCA's new performance series. It includes the quality family theatre for which COCA is known, but now also includes offerings for older children, teens and adults. Comprised of shows created and produced by COCA, as well as the best touring productions from around the world, COCA Presents offers bold, cross-disciplinary performances for all ages.

COCA-Center of Creative Arts is a non-profit community arts center with a mission to enrich lives and build community through the arts. COCA connects our community to the arts through programs that emphasize social and artistic diversity, economic and cultural accessibility, hands-on experience of the artistic process, and the highest quality in our faculty. Founded in 1986, COCA is a national leader in innovative community arts education. COCA annually serves more than 50,000 area residents of all ages through multidisciplinary, multi-cultural arts programs that include educational classes, camps and workshops, both on-site and in community venues; outreach; COCAbiz; COCA Presents; and exhibitions of contemporary art in the Millstone Gallery.