Gothic Tales by Candlelight *

Theatrical Presentations of Chilling Tales Written by Women

 

These are not readings, but fully dramatized theatrical performances that bring to life eerie, elegant, and unsettling tales written by women

from 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 authors who shaped and redefined the genre.

 

Step into the shadows… and discover a different kind of darkness.

October is booking up quickly. Contact Rita today to reserve your date!

 

               NEW!  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. Told in the haunting glow of candlelight*, Gothic Animal Tales explores humanity’s deep—and often disturbing—connection to the animal world.

 

From the 19th to the mid-20th century, these suspenseful stories by Harriett Prescott Spofford, Daphne Du Maurier, and Lilian Jackson Braun reveal 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 

 

Adapted from the Writings of Sarah Orne Jewett

  

Step into the flickering shadows of 19th-century New England in this candlelit* theatrical presentation. Gothic Victorian Tales brings to life the haunting and mysterious world of regional writer Sarah Orne Jewett, known for her richly drawn characters and quiet, unsettling atmosphere.

 

 In this evocative performance, you'll encounter:

 

A family haunted by a lingering curse

A mysterious stranger who unsettles a small town

An old woman who may—or may not—be immortal

 

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

 

"Rita Parisi's presentation of Gothic Victorian Tales by Candlelight is transporting. She enters the room as Sarah Orne Jewett in period dress, silently evoking Jewett's time and place. She speaks as Jewett, the storyteller, and as Jewett's characters, and is so true, so effortless in her delivery that Rita is, in turn, each of them. Against a simple backdrop and so few props, what Rita does is no less than magical, no less mysterious and mystical than Jewett's work itself." 

-Susan Odencrantz  audience member, Cape Elizabeth Maine

 

Where the Supernatural Meets the Psyche

 

Some of the most imaginative and boundary-pushing ghost stories of the 20th century were written by women. In this candlelit* theatrical event, experience haunting tales that blend old-fashioned specters with speculative twists—exploring time, memory, and human consciousness.

 

Gothic Ghost Tales by Candlelight features chilling and thought-provoking stories from early to mid-20th century by Rose Macaulay, Agatha Christie, and Virginia Layefsky. These writers reimagined the ghost story, fusing traditional Gothic elements with emerging ideas from science and psychology to create a more modern, mind-bending take 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  

 

 

* All lighting including the candles are electrical in nature.

There will be no open flames during performance.

 

(c) 2006, 2010, 2025 All rights reserved.

All Gothic Tales by Candlelight presentations may not be performed

or reproduced in part or in whole.

Contact Rita for more info or to Book a Gothic Tales Show today!