Review: POE at Pine Island Playhouse

If you want to get in the mood for Halloween, take a trip to the Pine Island Playhouse for its production of Poe. Founder Nichole Pichon has taken several of Poe's poems and short stories and dramatized them. Death and madness abound.

The first one is "The Raven." Five actors take turns reciting lines. They do well avoiding what could have been a sing-song rendition. The final words "never more" are spoken in unison as the title bird looks down on them and us.

A vengeful Neil Kerr buries frenemy Glenn Ford alive by building a wall after tempting him with amontillado. As he does so, baroque music in the background gets louder and faster.

Tom Crosby tells all about his love of Annabel Lee in front of her tombstone before he goes to join her.

Particularly spooky is Angela Kerr in the "Tell-Tale Heart" segment. I have never thought of a young woman in the role, but somehow that made it all the more horrifying.

The program ends with a retelling of "Masque of the Red Death" in which audience participants meet the same fate as the cast.

The show continues its run on Oct. 18 and 19 at 7 p.m. and Oct. 20 at 2 p.m. in the former sanctuary of the Pine Island United Methodist Church, 5701 Pine Island Rd., Bokeelia. There is no admission charge; however, donations are encouraged.