A Frightful, Delightful Play

Most of us enjoy a good fright once in a while. There is a certain perverse excitement and allure for audience members watching carefully staged sequences of bloodied bodies, a green-skinned giant or a black-masked zombie. Getting scared is one of life’s pleasures.

The Burlington County Footlighters presents The Intern Company’s play, Horror Stories, which will open on Wednesday, Aug. 10, and promises to put the terror in our tummies.

The original play will be a theatrical collection of 1950s horror comics set on stage. A main story of two sisters inheriting a spooky mansion is the overarch of the scary eight- to nine-minute vignettes that filter throughout Horror Stories.

“The stories are pulp ideas gathered from gritty comic books that were popularized in the 1950s,” said Kevin Esmond, director and a founder of The Intern Company.

It’s an opportunity for raw talent to nurture and swell, while teaming with other creative performers.

The actors in Horror Stories will try to frighten the spectators with an adaptation inspired from the popular and shadowy comic book stories “Tales from the Crypt,” “Vault of Horror,” and “Weird Stories.”

It’s the first time the group has tried material that is dark and gloomy.

“The idea this year was, ‘Can we really scare the audience?’” said Esmond.

Nine years ago, Esmond, a Marlton resident, held the first intern company as a novel idea for high school and college-age young people to learn about the theatre, and not just about acting, but a full-scale course on each element to stage a showstopper. Under the guidance of mentors, the students mount their own production by creating their own sets, props, make-up, costumes, and even publicity and ticket sales.

“I thought it would be a one-summer event,” said Esmond, who directed Don’t Mention My Name that first year. “But, the kids wanted to come back.”

In the ensuing years, cast members adopted musicals, such as Smile and Working—then, Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

As the students became more adept at theatre work, a translation of Homer’s The Odyssey was performed with students writing their own musical scores.

Esmond says each year he is surprised at the creativity the kids tap into and unleash on stage.

“Left to their own devices, the kids can come up with all different ideas of how to do something new,” said Esmond, who is the admissions director for Holy Cross High School in Delran, but directs plays at the high school, as well.

And, they aren’t afraid to try new things—even when the adult actors are.

Last year’s play, Metamorphoses, called for a 270-gallon pool to be on stage.

“It just wasn’t a problem for the kids,” laughed Esmond. “I think the staff here at Footlighters thought, ‘You’ve got to be kidding!’ But, it was great.”

Throughout The Intern Company’s history, each student enhances the show with their strong suit. Not everyone wants to act.

“The girl we have doing our horror make-up this year is fabulous,” said Esmond. “Some kids work better with sound, especially this year, trying to enhance the speakers for higher volumes for the real scary scenes.”

All of this is done while fostering a love and awareness of the arts.

This year’s Intern Company has a cast of 21 students ranging in age from 15 to 20, who have been rehearsing for two months, three nights weekly. There is a five-member band—who composed the production’s songs—and 10 crew members.

Given the theme of this year’s play, a midnight show will be staged.

“I’ve realized over and over,” said Esmond, “the kids can do amazing stuff."

Horror Stories will be performed 8 p.m., Aug. 10, 11, 12, 13; and midnight, Aug. 13. Tickets are $10.