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MYSTERY TO OPEN SEASON

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           Players Workshop will open the 2026-2027 theatrical season with Angel Street, a suspense thriller by British author Patrick Hamilton.

            According to director Lee Franklin, "The entire action of this play occurs in a gloomy house on Angel Street located in 1880 London. The action opens with a kindly, handsome Mr. Manningham and his seemingly fragile wife who appears to be forgetting things that have happened. She is convinced that she may be succumbing to the same fate as her mother who died in an asylum. She is then visited by a strange detective that awakens her to another possible reality. A reality that will shock her and force her to face the demons plaguing her. The action culminates in tales of murder, treasure, and ultimately justice. It is a thrilling and exciting melodramatic game."

            In 1940 Angel Street was adapted into a film in England, but it wasn’t until the 1944 American adaptation under the title Gaslight that the piece achieved cinematic history as one of the best of the film noir genre.  It was nominated for 7 Academy Awards, winning for Best Production Design and for Best Actress for Ingrid Bergman in the role of the wife. It is also the play that gave rise to the term “gaslighting,” a form of mental torture defined as “the practice of psychologically manipulating someone into questioning their own sanity, memory, or powers of reasoning.” 

            Appearing in Angel Street are Adam Fauser as Jack Manningham and Kara Ewinger as Bella Manningham.  Estel Walker portrays Inspector Rough, while Dorothy Schulte and Kiersten Cox portray the servants Elizabeth and Nancy, respectively. All are from Burlington, except for Schulte, who comes from Ft. Madison.

Director Franklin is assisted by Dev Rohr, and Michelle Huppenbauer is producing.  Franklin also gives a “big thank you to our crew and set folks. Without their dedication this show wouldn't be possible.”

            Angel Street will run at The Workshop, 1431 Grove St., on Oct. 2-4 and 8-11, 2026.  All shows are at 7:00 p.m. except for 2:00 p.m. Sunday matinees on Oct. 4 and 11.

            Angel Street is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.

THROWBACK THURSDAY!

On Thursday nights only, individual ticket prices will be rolled back to last season’s rates—

just $15 for adults and $10 for students for the show that night!

For more information, call the Workshop at 319-753-6623, go to the Workshop’s Facebook page, or go to www.playersworkshoptheater.com.