Gothic Tales by Candlelight*
Theatrical Presentations of Chilling Tales Written by Women
Not readings but full dramatizations that bring to life eerie, elegant and unsettling stories written by women during the 19th and 20th centuries.
Told in the haunting glow of electric candlelight, each program explores Gothic themes of mystery, madness, the supernatural and the unknown through the voices of the women who shaped and redefined the genre.
Step into the shadows ...and discover a different kind of darkness.
* All lighting including the candles are electrical.
🕯️ October is filling quickly—Contact Rita today to reserve your preferred date.
Current Tales Available
Strange Creatures. Eerie Instincts. Unnatural Encounters.
In this original theatrical presentation, the eerie elegance of Alfred Hitchcock meets the unsettling twists of The Twilight Zone. Gothic Animal Tales explores humanity’s deep—and often disturbing—connection to the animal world.
Inspired by stories from the 19th to the mid-20th century, this suspenseful presentation reveals a wilder side of Gothic literature—where animals are not just companions or background, but harbingers, predators, and mirrors of our own darkest instincts.
An evening of uncanny tales where nature watches... and waits.
Perfect for fans of literary suspense, vintage horror, and thought-provoking storytelling.
50 minute performance with atmospheric lighting and Q & A Appropriate for ages 10 and up
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Adapted from the Writings of Sarah Orne Jewett
Step into the flickering shadows of 19th-century New England in this theatrical presentation which brings to life the haunting and mysterious world of regional writer Sarah Orne Jewett, known for her richly drawn characters and quiet, unsettling atmosphere.
Blending Gothic tension with New England locales, these tales explore the thin veil between the known and the unknowable, the natural and the supernatural.
Perfect for fans of regional literature, atmospheric drama, and literary mystery.
50 minute performance with atmospheric lighting and Q & A. Appropriate for ages 10 and up
"... Rita portrayed author Sarah Orne Jewett and performed the essence of three of her Gothic tales - some of which inspired Lovecraft. A stunning, riveting performance with a voice you don't want to relinquish!"
-Edith Maxwell, award winning author of the Quaker Midwife Series of books
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Three tales. Three settings. One lingering chill.
Be transported from the haunted grottos of Capri… to a séance in Paris… and into a Victorian home where something is not quite right.
Gothic Ghost Tales by Candlelight features chilling, thought-provoking stories from the early to mid-20th century that reimagine the ghost story. Blending classic Gothic elements with emerging ideas from science and psychology, these tales offer a modern, mind-bending twist on the supernatural.
Step into the shadows—where the veil is thin, and nothing is quite as it seems.
50-minute performance with atmospheric lighting and Q&A Appropriate for ages 10 and up