WAIT UNTIL DARK - Theatre Three | 4.19.25

Theatre Three is currently producing the Frederick Knott thriller “Wait Until Dark” from April 18 to May 11. Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher, “Wait Until Dark” tells the story of Susan ‘Susy’ Hendrix who was recently blinded and learning to cope with a new normal. She finds herself in possession of a small doll that is of particular interest to others as well. Before long, some men with unsavory intentions descend upon her basement apartment and Susy finds herself needing to quickly adjust to her new limitations to protect herself and her home.

Susy is played by Jessica Mae Murphy, who delivers a thoroughly engaging performance. I can’t imagine the challenges that come with playing a character who is blind - so much of genuine acting comes from personal experience and navigating through this must have been difficult. But you wouldn’t know it! We see her early with her husband Sam Hendrix (played by Theatre Three veteran Eric J. Hughes) and Gloria (played by Adriana Mia Como). Gloria is a young girl who lives upstairs from the Hendrix’s and often comes down to keep Susy company and help her around the house while her husband is at work. Como was cute and charming, even when her character playfully pranks Susy. It was fun watching that relationship evolve throughout the show.

Scott Butler, Jessica Mae Murphy, Richard O'Sullivan, and David DiMarzo.

Photo Credit: Steven Uihlein, Theatre Three Productions, Inc.

Sgt. Carlino, Harry Roat Jr., and Mike Talman (played by Richard O’Sullivan, Scott Butler, and David DiMarzo respectively) round out the rest of the cast as the three con men searching for the doll. They all play a part in deceiving Susy and add a level of tension that is palpable. DiMarzo was perfectly cast. He brought a curious warmth to his character that left me guessing exactly what his intentions were all throughout the story. O’Sullivan and Butler were quite strong as well; it would be easy to play all of these characters similarly, but that wasn’t the case here. Too often we see the three “gangsters” in shows who act exactly the same, making it difficult to discern who is who. The men in this production develop their characters separately and allow you to enjoy each one of their performances individually, which is refreshing and deserved. We learn early on in the story what their characters were about and they continued to build tension throughout the show, all the way into the heart-pounding conclusion. 

Theatre Three has always done “real” extremely impressively. Scenic Designer Randall Parsons knows the space perfectly and has outdone himself yet again. The details in the apartment were so much fun to pay attention to and I always appreciate depth in a scene. Everything that you are *intended* to see is in clear, perfect view. Absolutely no notes. Indigo Shea served as the Lighting Designer for this production and the design took my breath away. The way the street lights and moon light came in through the windows, the lamps around the apartment, even the gentle glow from the refrigerator - the thoughtful intention behind every bit is instrumental in bringing you into this one apartment scene and is wonderfully done. I don’t know who to credit for this, but I also *LOVED* the buzz from the fridge every time it opened. It has always been said that when you lose one sense, your other senses heighten; so there’s no doubt that this detail was added to bring you in a little bit further, hearing things how Susy likely hears it. Kudos to returning Director Christine Boehm for having such a good eye for things like this and to the entire creative team for prioritizing something that other theaters may find trivial. These elements joined with Ronald Green III’s consistently impeccable Costume Design create yet another fantastic Long Island theater production!

“Wait Until Dark” is running at Theatre Three in Port Jefferson from April 18th to May 11th. Tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased at the door or in advance by calling the box office or via their website at www.theatrethree.com.

Full Company

Photo Credit: Steven Uihlein, Theatre Three Productions, Inc.

Cast:

Susan ‘Susy’ Hendrix - Jessica Mae Murphy

Harry Roat, Jr. - Scott Butler

Sam Hendrix - Eric J. Hughes

Mike Talman - David DiMarzo

Gloria - Adriana Mia Como

Sgt. Carlino - Richard O’Sullivan

Creative Team:

Director - Christine Boehm

Production Stage Manager - Melissa Troxler

SOUND Design - Tim Haggerty

Scenic Design - Randall Parsons

LIGHTING DESIGN - Indigo Shea

Technical Direction - Steven Barile, Jr.

Costume Design - Ronald Green III

fight Choreography - Heather Legnosky

Properties - Julia Albino & Cassidy Rose O’Brien