Upcoming Berks theater offerings include 'Poe's Unhappy Hour,' 'Doubt: A Parable' [Spotlight]

Oct. 8—Yocum Institute for Arts Education will present "Poe's Unhappy Hour, Interactive Storytelling of the Works of Edgar Allan Poe," on Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. in its Schumo Theater, 3000 Penn Ave., West Lawn.

The audience will visit the parlor of Poe's mother-in-law, Mrs. Maria Clemm, to enjoy an hour of entertainment and camaraderie, including Poe's recitation of some of his most remarkable works, such as his poem "The Raven." Also included will be readings from his short stories "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Cask of Amontillado" as well as the poems "The Conqueror Worm" and "Annabel Lee."

The cast includes Adam Danoff as Poe, Joel Gori as Mr. Rufus Wilmot Griswold, Andrea Hart as Mrs.Maria Clemm and Jeanette Fotis as Mrs. Virginia Clemm Poe. Beverly Houck is directing.

Tickets are $10 and available at yocuminstitute.org, by calling 610-376-1576 or in person at the front desk at the Yocum Institute.

Theater

The 38th annual Fall Festival of the Arts, presented by Trinity Lutheran and Christ Episcopal churches in Reading, will present three performances of John Patrick Shanley's award-winning play "Doubt: A Parable" next weekend in the WCR Center for the Arts, 140 N. Fifth St. Curtain times are at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 3 p.m. next Sunday.

The play, which debuted on Broadway in 2004, won both the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play in 2005. "Doubt" was adapted as a film in 2008, starring Meryl Streep and Phillip Seymour Hoffman, directed by Shanley, who won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Set in a Catholic school in the Bronx in 1964, the play focuses on a forward-thinking priest, Father Flynn, beloved by his parishioners, who runs up against a severe, conservative nun, Sister Aloysius. When accusations begin to fly, the audience is challenged to examine their own doubts and beliefs. The story raises questions about the nature of truth, faith, justice, power and morality, with no clear resolution, leaving viewers to come to their own conclusions.

The play is being directed by Jody Reppert, who teaches ELA and Film as Literature at Wilson High School and has been a director and actor in community theater for many years.

To play the starring role of Father Flynn, Carrington Vilmont is returning to the Reading area from New York City, where he has been a working singer/actor for two decades. Vilmont was part of the cast of the Broadway production of "The Phantom of the Opera" for thousands of performances during its record-breaking run and spent a year and a half in the touring production.

He has appeared in many films and television shows including "Breaking Bad," "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," "Vinyl," "The Tell-Tale Heart" and more.

Vilmont grew up in Colorado and came to Berks County with his family when he was beginning his sophomore year of high school.

He calls playing a priest "a stretch." To prepare for the role, he has been attending the Catholic church near his home "to get a sense of the rhythm and routine" of the services, and is perfecting his Bronx accent.

"Luckily, I've worked for years with people who have that dialect, so it's in my ear," he said.

The rest of the cast will include Karen Reppert as Sister Aloysius, Amy Young as Mrs. Muller and Cheyenne Malfaro as Sister James.

To purchase tickets and for complete information about the events held during the Fall Festival of the Arts, visit https://fallfestivalofthearts.org.

Museum

The Reading Public Museum has renewed its autism certification and maintained its Certified Autism Center designation from The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards.

Every two years, staff at CACs must renew their training to ensure they are equipped with the newest resources and understand the best practices to maintain a safe, welcome and inclusive environment for autistic and sensory-sensitive guests and their families. This training covers various topics, including sensory awareness, environment, communication, motor and social skills, program development and emotional awareness.

Becky Ruth, coordinator of education, events and outreach, said, "Our Education Department is always looking for new ideas for programs or even daily offerings that can help make the Reading Public Museum a more welcoming and accessible place for everyone."

Since becoming a CAC in 2018, the Reading Public Museum has introduced a variety of new programs to support guests with sensitivity needs. The museum hosts low sensory hours before and/or after public hours for a limited number of registered guests. During these times, guests receive a sensory map and kit, and they can enjoy the museum and special exhibitions in an environment that accommodates varying sensory needs.

For the past two years, the museum has also hosted sensory-inclusive fireworks. This event allows guests with varying sensory needs to enjoy the fun of Fourth of July fireworks without the extra stimulation that often occurs during regular firework shows. This program is hosted in the museum's state-of-the-art planetarium, and silent fireworks are projected on the planetarium dome for guests to enjoy.

Art

The GoggleWorks Center for the Arts in downtown Reading hosts its monthly studio crawl on Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Many of the facility's 30 studio artists will be in their studios on the second and third floors to meet and chat with visitors.

This month's featured artists are Heidi Sensenig, who uses clay, acrylic and watercolor as well as texture-building media to bring to life imagery and inspiration she finds in the world of daily living; Sharon McGinley, who will have limited edition lithographs available for purchase; and Brent Brown, whose marionette-type characters move their arms, legs and such in an imitation of the images he grew up with along with those things that left a lasting impression on him.

Admission is free. For more information, see goggleworks.org.

Dance

Reading Civic Theatre will hold a burlesque dance class on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at its Exeter Township location in anticipation of its upcoming production of "The Rocky Horror Show," scheduled for Oct. 27 through Nov. 5.

The '80s themed class will be led by choreographer Bex Hudgins, aka Vixen Vicious, award-winning burlesque performer and producer of Rum Runner Revue.

The class is suitable for all experience and fitness levels, and genders, and is open to anyone ages 18 and older.

Tickets are limited. For details and to enroll, visit readingcivic.org.