WEST VALLEY CITY — Wait Until Dark is one of my favorite spooky season productions. However it is a hard production to review because there are so many things to include, but can’t as it spoils things for new viewers. However, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to review the production directed by JC Ernst.
Editor’s Note: Production Photos are requested by our UTAJ scheduler. When they are received, they will be added to this review. Photos can also be provided through this form.
Wait Until Dark by Frederick Knott and recently adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher, follows Susan, a blind woman, for 24 harrowing hours as she is innocently caught in a tangled web of crime and intrigue that has found its way into her Greenwich Village apartment, while her husband Sam is away.
This production started differently from the others I’ve experienced. It began with a blinding flash of headlights and the sound of an automobile crash. Then it jumps to Susan, nicknamed Susie, coming into her apartment and noticing things were a little bit off from how they should be. She clearly felt like someone else was in the room. Eventually she leaves and goes to her husband’s photography studio. The show then continued in a familiar fashion, until shortly after intermission. A flashback showed a scene usually seen at the the start. It was cleverly done and the switch up built suspense in a new way and allowed a better glimpse into Susan’s perspective.
However, when the flashback started it was confusing to fit in where Susie was and why she’d left her apartment, until I determined it was actually a flashback. Because of familiarity with where the scene is originally placed, I kept questioning my memory of the script and did look up the script when at home so as not to feel crazy. This speaks highly of the scene’s placement because it was done so well I couldn’t tell if it was director JC Ernst’s choice or the actual script. This placement helped the audience have a taste of how Susan experiences things without her sight. This same feeling was recreated during the climatic scene and added to the suspense.
Susan was played by Collette Astle. Susan is a challenging role to play because she is blind and is definitely a different challenge than many other roles. Astle did well keeping the illusion that Susan was blind without taking it over the top. The company hired a blindness consultant Chad Wilburn and it made a difference in the realism of Astle’s performance. There were moments when Astle dealt with items unexpectedly falling and she responded as if she truly was blind. At one point there was an item on the floor that Astle could surely see but she left it as Susan, even though it could cause a tripping hazard later. Ruby Kohler, as Gloria, was able to pick up the item. However, there is a moment when an intruder runs shouting and threatening into the house and Astle could have used more in her performance. Astle seemed far too calm. She seemed more nervous about Carlino’s (played by Tyson Baker) initial visit than about the stranger who dashed in through the apartment. Astle’s nerves did improve after the stranger had left, but it seemed that an attempt to keep her eyes blank during extended a little to far into the rest of her actions. She amply made up her initial calm response later and Susan’s character development grew in a wonderful way.
Although Sam, played by Armando Serrano, is only physically on stage for a couple of short scenes, his presence weighs heavily through out the whole show. Serrano could show more lovingness from Sam towards Susan. Sam’s opening scene with Susan felt like it was heavy on the tough and lacking on the love. Although he is trying to encourage her to be more independent, the scene needed more teasing and flirting and not just sternness. From dialogue in the script, Sam is obviously a nice guy, but Serrano’s performance missed that essence and needed more. It felt like there was more chemistry between Astle and Doug Kaufman, who played Mike.
Kaufman was endearing as Mike. Susie was understandably comforted by his presence and wanted him to stay around. My friend attending with me was completely unfamiliar with the show and was rooting for Mike and Susie to somehow end up together because Kaufman and Astle had amazing chemistry on stage.
Roat was played by Joe Spear. There is only so much to say about Roat without spoilers. Spear did an excellent job playing his role, and it is one of the best portrayals of Roat I’ve seen.
This production really put great effort into the technical aspects of this show. The carefully thought out and executed set design by Adam Flitton, the lighting design by Colter Lincoln, and sound by Grace Heinz really contributed to the mood and helped further understanding of what was happening. There were a few technical cues that could use better timing, but those cues will likely continue to improve. The performers adapted to everything and kept the energy and pacing even when sounds didn’t occur, such as when a lamp was smashed during a critical moment. There are scenes in complete darkness that could be improved by covering the little green glowing lights on the actors’ mic packs. That little glow, under the costume, kept giving away where the performers are onstage.
The set design by Adam Flitton made great use of the space, and all of the the entrances in the stage space. This show is set in an a basement apartment and is perfectly suited to a theatre in the round. The little details are lovely such as the baseboards and walls being aged and showing the daily grime and wear of life. The kitchen was set in a nook, and the different floor treatment also helped establishing different areas of the apartment. The piano was a unique addition and it was wonderfully used to create tension during certain scenes. The plastic garbage can was the one detail that really seemed out of place and time.
Wait Until Dark at West Valley Arts is the perfect way to kick of this year’s spooky season. It’s intense for new viewers and has some new additions and perspectives for those already familiar with the show. It is my favorite production of Wait Until Dark seen in Utah, and is well worth attending.
MORE INFO: Wait Until Dark plays on Fridays and Saturdays through October 24th, with matinee performances on Saturday the 17th and 24th at 3:00pm, at the West Valley Performing Arts Center (3333 Decker Lake Drive, West Valley City). Tickets are $23-$35. There is an American Sign Language-Interpreted Performance on Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 3:00pm. For more information, visit https://wvcarts.org.
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