Something Wicked Fun This Way Comes

When the curtain goes up at the Hygienic's theater presentation "Something Wicked This Way Comes" tonight, it will reveal original works performed by a brand new local theater company. 

Norwich resident Darcy Bruce established TalkStory Theater in August with the goal of promoting local writers and performers. She began soliciting scripts for this evening's performance of four, 10-minute shows, almost immediately.

After sifting through more than 60 submissions, reading each one twice to determine which would be produced, she then put out a call for actors and crew for behind-the-scenes. The company, which is so new it's not yet formally a nonprofit although it's in the process of becoming one, is getting the word out via Facebook. 

"I've been wanting to start something but I was terrified. You take that plunge and put up the Facebook page. Maybe your mom likes it and a few of your friends, but people were contacting me from all over, well over 100 at least," says Bruce.

Bruce, who graduated from Eastern Connecticut State University last spring, has been in theater since she was nine, starting with a summer program offered for kids by Yale in New Haven, where she grew up.   

"As a kid, I realized that theater was so important. It was like family, having somewhere to fit in," says Bruce. "It's a really good way to get people to start talking to each other and tell stories, and that's why I named it TalkStory Theater."

"I really wanted to promote a certain kind of theater," she says. "We've got a lot of great local theater. I wanted to promote a theater that was a little bit different, darker undertones, something that's a little bit unexpected."

Tonight's performance, for instance, features short plays by four local writers and a short 7-minute puppet performance by Paper Tiger Puppets of Stonington. 

Bruce says having the Hygienic step up to offer the Art Park as a venue really helped a lot.

"We haven't had any huge road blocks but the Hygienic jumping in and saying we could have that venue was a breath of fresh air," says Bruce. 

Tonight that might be a breath of cold air, as the performance will be outside unless it rains, but Bruce says she thinks the site itself will really help set the tone for the company's first production. 

"A little bit of that chill down your back adds to the performance," she says. 

The show will be held at the Hygienic Art Park at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10. You can find out more information about TalkStoryTheater on Facebook.