Folks who know DCT might recognize Philip Schaeffer, or at least recognize his parents, Nancy and Karl Schaeffer, from the halls of the theater. We interviewed Philip about his DCT journey and of course, Poe. Read on…
What makes this show special? Why will DCT/Dallas audiences love it?
Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” is among greatest works in American literature, and The Raven Society presents a new way to experience this poem for the modern day.
Edgar Allan Poe
What do you appreciate most about Edgar Allen Poe?
Poe is a master of atmosphere, especially when it comes to the macabre. So naturally I’m a big fan!
Would you say you two have anything in common?
We both have strange hair styles.
You’ve performed in 18 DCT productions – that’s quite a number! What has been your favorite DCT production?
It is very hard to pick, but of shows I performed in, I’d have to say The Hound of the Baskervilles — the spookiest of Sherlock Holmes tales!
Philip and the Cast of GHOULS AND GRAVEYARDS
With Nancy and Karl as parents, we can appreciate how you got into theater. What led you to a particular interest in playwriting?
I’ve always loved reading a script and imagining what the production would be like, so writing my own plays to imagine seemed like a logical next step!
This will be your third Halloween show written for DCT, can you tell us a little bit about the difference between writing a scary show for children vs. for adults? Is there a difference?
There probably should be, but I don’t really change things very much. People of all ages enjoy scary stories after all.
left to right Grace, Judge and Philip
Besides the family connection, what do you think is special about the DCT experience?
DCT has always put a focus on imagination, creativity, and storytelling. Whether you’re watching a play, acting in one, or taking a class, you’re exercising a part of your mind that otherwise wouldn’t be used.
What have been the challenges associated with producing a Halloween show for a virtual audience?
Fortunately I only had to write it, so it’s up to the production team to actually make things work! But the main challenge on my end was finding a way to capture the feeling of the poem using a Zoom call as the storytelling format. Hopefully audiences will enjoy!
Mark your calendar now to watch Philip Schaeffer’s THE RAVEN SOCIETY starring DCT’s Teen Scene PlayersStreaming October 23-31
Ages 9 and up
Cost: As low as $10
Watch Party!
All ticket buyers will receive a link to join us Friday, October 30th at 7PM for THE RAVEN SOCIETY Watch Party, a virtual ghostly gathering hosted by the playwright, Philip Schaeffer, where we’ll watch and discuss clips from the show (recommended for ages 9 and up), talk to the cast & crew about how it was made, swap our favorite scary stories & legends (just like in summer camp!), and there may be a few other mysterious surprises around the corner (but who…and where…?). Invite your friends to this fun, interactive event, and let’s all have a spine-chilling good time!
Photos courtesy of Nancy Schaeffer and via Pixabay