Alison Pill of “The Newsroom” in “Wait Until Dark” at the Geffen

Alison Pill stars as a blind woman stalked by a killer in "Wait Until Dark" opening at the Geffen Playhouse on October 8th. Photo used with permission.

Alison Pill stars as a blind woman stalked by a killer in “Wait Until Dark” opening at the Geffen Playhouse on October 8th. Photo used with permission.

Alison Pill steps away from The Newsroom next month to lead us into the dark in Jeffrey Hatcher’s world premiere adaptation of Wait Until Dark.  The ground-breaking 1966 thriller written by Frederick Knott (Dial M for Murder),  has been transported to 1944, a time when women were left alone with most men away at war.  Pill, whose film work includes Midnight in Paris and the sci-fi drama Snowpiercer, plays Susan, a blind woman who becomes entangled with dangerous con men.  They try to take advantage of her vulnerability, but in a stunning turn of events she fights back by plunging herself (and the audience) into her world… complete darkness.  During wartime, surrounded by violence both at home and abroad, Susan is a strong female character who takes charge of her perilous situation instead of becoming a victim.

 “I love a good thriller and remember seeing Wait Until Dark at my hometown community theatre when I was 5 or 6,” says director Matt Shakman. “It scared me to death but I loved its pressure-cooker environment, the slow build of the con game, and Susan’s great reversal from ultimate victim to ultimate survivor.”   Shakman, founder and artistic director of LA’s Black Dahlia Theatre, is back at the Geffen after directing the successful run of David Lindsay-Abaire’s Good People which garnered eight Ovation nominations, including Best Director in 2012.  He recently directed his debut feature film Cut Bank starring John Malkovich.
The suspenseful drama also features Brighid Fleming, Rod McLachlan, Matt Tighe, Adam Stein, and Mather Zickel.  Opening night is set for October 16.  Preview performances begin in the Gil Cates Theater at the Geffen Playhouse on October 8.
Tickets are available in-person at the Geffen Playhouse box office, via phone at 310-208-5454 or online at www.geffenplayhouse.com