Dark Tales Told on a Cold Autumn Eve
A collection of original tales
By Jim Dalglish
Every autumn during a full moon, Sam lights a fire in the hearth of his old, abandoned tavern deep in the woods of Great Island. It’s a signal for the lost and forgotten souls of Cape Cod to emerge from the shadows to share their tales.
A collection of original stories - mysterious and haunting - of the supernatural world of Cape Cod. A perfect Halloween outing for adults with a taste for the macabre.
Dark Tales Told on a Cold Autumn Eve
By Jim Dalglish
Directed by Jennifer Kangas & Jim Dalglish
Sound Design by Geof Newton
Poster Image by Jackie Reeves
Produced in Partnership with The Academy of Performing Arts, Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater, Cotuit Center for the Arts, and The Provincetown Inn.
FOUR VENUES...
Academy of Performing Arts (APA)
120 Main Street, Orleans, MA 02653
October 3, 4, 10, 11
(Fridays & Saturdays at 7:00pm)
APA TICKETS:
https://www.academyplayhouse.org/tickets
Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater (WHAT)
2357 State Highway Route 6, Wellfleet, MA 02667
October 16, 17, 18, 19
(Thursday - Saturday at 7:00pm, Sunday at 4:00pm)
WHAT TICKETS:
https://www.onthestage.tickets/show/helltown-players/68adfa536b20f1100915b64c
Cotuit Center for the Arts (CCftA)
4404 Falmouth Rd, Cotuit, MA 02635
October 23, 24, 25, 26
(Thursday - Saturday at 7:00pm, Sunday at 1:30pm)
The Provincetown Inn
1 Commercial St, Provincetown, MA 02657
October 29 & 30
(Wednesday & Thursday at 7:00pm)
PTOWN INN TICKETS:
https://www.onthestage.tickets/show/helltown-players/68ae11a96b20f11009165372
CAST…
Ian Ryan as Sam Smith
Geof Newton as The Fisherman
Bonnie Fairbanks as Maria
Samantha McMahon & Denise Page as May (Performance dates to come.)
Jacob Rabold as Tony
Brandon Prentiss as Elliot
Matt Whelan as Dale
Dahlia Viprino as Lorelie
Sara Shatzel Fitzpatrick as Madame X
PLAYWRIGHT'S NOTE...
I’ve always wanted to tell stories set on Cape Cod — stories that draw from its landscape, its people, and its shadowy past. With Dark Tales Told on a Cold Autumn Eve, I set out to create an immersive experience where audiences could feel transported back in time. I wanted to blend original storytelling with reimagined legends of Old Cape Cod — and in doing so, illuminate the way this region’s unique history continues to shape its present.
But how best to tell these tales?
I decided on a blend: legends, myths, tall tales, allegory, contemporary horror, and even a dash of political satire disguised as Grand Guignol. These stories feature pirates, witches, politicos, Pilgrims, mooncussers, and even selkies — yes, I became a bit obsessed with Scottish selkie myths and had to include them. They’re set in evocative Cape Cod locations: Samuel Smith’s Tavern, P’town Harbor, White Cedar Swamp, Horseleech Pond, the Nauset Moors, the Barnstable Jail, Chatham Bars Inn, and even a certain compound in Hyannis Port.
Before I wrote a word, I spent months researching Cape Cod history — poring over its ghost stories, legends, and the fragments of culture that time has nearly erased. I also drew on my years of living on the Cape and my own sense of what makes this sand spit so singular.
For creative inspiration, I turned to the masters: Edgar Allan Poe, E.T.A. Hoffmann, Saki, Hawthorne — and to modern voices like Conor McPherson. I listened to old radio plays and contemporary ghost story podcasts from Ireland and the UK. All of it helped me explore how traditional narrative can come alive in a theatrical setting.
My aim? To frighten, shock, educate, provoke — and maybe even titillate. To give audiences a five-ticket rollercoaster ride they won’t soon forget.
- Jim Dalglish See less
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