By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current
Geneseo’s Richmond Hill Players continue the 2025 season with a thriller, “The Woman in Black,” adapted by Stephen Mallatratt form the novel by Susan Hill.
The show will be presented Thursdays through Sundays, Oct. 2-12, in the Barn Theatre at Richmond Hill Park, Geneseo.
Dana Skiles, Geneseo, directs the play.
ABOUT THE PLAY
Patrick Kelley, Kewanee, attempts to revive James Driscoll, Bettendorf, who has been frightened nearly to death by The Woman, played by Tifany Simosky, Geneseo, in the thriller, “The Woman in Black,” opening on Thursday, Oct. 2, at Richmond Hill Barn Theatre. Contributed Photo
“The framework of this spine-tingler is unusual: a lawyer hires an actor to tutor him in recounting to family and friends a story that has long troubled him, concerning events that transpired when he attended the funeral of an elderly recluse. There, he caught sight of the woman in black, the mere mention of whom terrifies the locals, for she is a specter who haunts the neighborhood where her illegitimate child was accidentally killed. Anyone who sees her dies!
The lawyer has invited some friends to watch as he and the actor recreate the events of that dark and stormy night in this classic tale of the Gothic mystery genre.
The show is not recommended for children under 12, with a warning for discussion of child loss.
The cast features Patrick Kelley, Kewanee; James Driscoll, Bettendorf; Tifany Simosky, Geneseo; Aimee Albrecht, Alexis; Cali VanZandt, Atkinson; David Shaffer, Moline, and Mike Kelly, Rock Island.
The staff includes stage manager/special effects coordinator David Shaffer; stage crew Aimee Albrecht, Cali VanZandt, and Sarah Carrington, Galesburg; light and sound designer/operator Dana Skiles, and set builder Jim Skiles, Colona.
On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, the doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the show beginning at 7:30 p.m. Sunday shows are 3 p.m. matinees with the doors opening at 2 p.m.
Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling the Richmond Hill box office at 309-944-2244 or by visiting the website rhplayers.com.
Late seating is not permitted; no one will be admitted to the theater after the show has started.
Admission to all performances is $12.
An audio description performance will be Friday, Oct. 3. Richmond Hill also offers Assistive Listening devices (ALDS), which can be requested at the time reservations are made.
ABOUT: RICHMOND HILL PLAYERS - a non-profit community theater group presenting plays in the converted top floor of an old dairy barn in Geneseo since 1968. Approximately 100 active members are involved on and off-stage each year, with actors, directors, backstage personnel, support staffs, and audience drawn from a 75-100 -mile radius that includes cities in both Illinois and Iowa.