Delaware Shakespeare Festival returns to a world of specters and spirits this October with nine performances of “Shakespeare/Poe,” its annual visit with masters of the macabre in three remarkable venues around New Castle County. This autumn tradition features bone-chilling selections from plays, prose and poetry. And since night terrors know no bounds, this year’s lineup will include tales from cultural traditions outside the western canon.
The cast includes four “Shakespeare/Poe” newcomers: Eliana Fabiyi, Minou Pourshariati, Jahzeer Terrell and George Tietze. It is directed by “Shakespeare/Poe” veteran Matthew Mastronardi. Performances will take place in the haunted halls of Rockwood Mansion, in the colonial-era Stone Stable in Historic Odessa, and amid the grandeur of the Read House and Gardens in Old New Castle.
Due to space limitations inside these historic properties, only 30 tickets will be sold for each performance. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 14, in the Stone Stable in Odessa; at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. (two shows) on Saturday, Oct. 15, and Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Read House in Old New Castle; and at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. (two shows) on Sunday, Oct. 16, and Sunday, Oct. 23, at Rockwood Mansion in Wilmington. Tickets cost $18 and can be purchased at www.delshakes.org. Guests can choose to add a mini-tour of the Read House for an additional $2. (On Saturdays, make your spooky night in New Castle complete by taking the New Castle Historical Society’s Hauntings in History Walking Tour following the 6 p.m. performance. Tours are available at 7:30 p.m. and at 8 p.m., and tickets are available at www.newcastlehistory.org/events.html.)
