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WEIRTON -- The Ohio Valley Cloak & Dagger Co., in partnership with the Weirton Area Museum and Cultural Center, will present the season-four finale of its monthly theatrical series, Cloak & Dagger On the Air, on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the museum, located at 3149 Main St., Weirton.
Titled "Three Murders for Christmas," the evening will feature three classic radio plays revolving around the theme of murder during the holidays and a final radio play involving miracles.
"In years past, our Christmas episode has always reflected the optimism of the season," explained Pete Fernbaugh, executive producer and head writer of Cloak & Dagger On the Air. "However, there are a lot of Christmas stories that show the seedier side of human nature and how that plays out against a backdrop of lights and good cheer. We thought it might be fascinating to explore this."
The first story of the evening is titled "Back for Christmas" and tells the tale of a beleaguered husband who wants to escape his controlling wife. Thanks to his passion for botany, he seems to have a ready-made grave on hand. Then, the all-seeing specter of sin's consequences, "The Whistler," will relate the tale of a woman whose future was secure and promising, until she decides to spend one Christmas night on the lam with a wild-eyed gambler.
Finally, horror awaits an all-American couple as one Christmas they move into "The House in Cypress Canyon," where strange pictures hang on the walls, closets are locked with no keys to open them and from somewhere within the house, a creature wails throughout the night.
"If all of this sounds a bit morbid for the holiday, I assure you, we will end on an inspirational note, appropriately miraculous for the season," Fernbaugh said.
He expressed gratitude for Cloak & Dagger's successful return to live in-person performances. "When we decided to jump back in, all of us were nervous," Fernbaugh said. "I am humbled and grateful to say our audiences have proven to be loyal and supportive, and we've seen new faces in the crowd each month. As we prepare for season five, which will launch in February, we hope to reach an even wider swath of our community."
Starring Celesta Berga, Chris Carter, Rob DeSantis, David Gaudio, Robert J. Gaudio, Noah Hilton, Nancy Longo, Karissa Martin, Clare McDonald, Ralph Parissi, and Savannah Schroll Guz -- who makes her Cloak & Dagger debut -- Cloak & Dagger On the Air: 3 Murders for Christmas will be performed in the style of live radio drama, complete with a score performed by classical pianist Roberta Fedoush and sound patterns by the Holy Foley Molies.
The production will be available to the public in two ways: First, it will be broadcast free of charge through the Weirton Area Museum and Cultural Center's Facebook page. Viewers will have an opportunity throughout the show to donate to the museum through PayPal (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/weirtonareamuseum).
All proceeds from the livestream will go to benefit WAMCC. Second, the performance will be open to an in-person audience. Admission is free, although those attending in-person are asked to consider a donation to WAMCC to help the museum and Cloak & Dagger cover the costs of this production.
No reservations are needed, and all current CDC COVID-19 guidelines will be followed. Masks are optional.
Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., with R.J. Gaudio, Troubadour, warming up the crowd, and the show will begin promptly at 7 p.m.