"The House on Haunted Hill" - by Tommy Jamerson - Quannapowitt Players (Reading, MA.) - REVIEW
(Cover Photo: The CAST of Tommy Jamerson's "THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL" presented by The Quannapowitt Players in Reading, MA. now through October 11, 2025. Photo Credit: Jonathan Sachs)
By Kevin T. Baldwin
METRMAG Reviewer
# 774-242-6724
“Darling, the only ghoul in the house is you!"
- ("Annabelle Lauren") / Tommy Jamerson
The Quannapowitt Players
Presents Tommy Jamerson's
"THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL"
Written by Tommy Jamerson
Directed by Mark Rolli
Cast Includes: Cast Includes: Adam Heroux as “Frederick Lauren,” Amanda Bruce as “Nina Meers,” Angela Courtney Rossi as “Bride/Rebecca,” Barbara Bourgeoisa as “Eleanor Slides,” Bridget Hoarty as “Ruth Bridges,” Ken Tucci as “Mr. Slides/Byron Valifax,” Kris Reynolds as “Annabelle Lauren,” Michaela Zullo as “Cassidy Bowman,” Phil Curcuru as “Dr. David Trent,” Will Thompson as “Lance Schroeder,” Maddie Rossi as “Young Rebecca,” Zac Lambert as “Watson Pritchard.”
Additional Creative Team:
Producer - Gordon Ellis; Stage Manager and Lighting Operator - Sherri Wilcauskas; Rehearsal Stage Manager - Judy Forgione; Set Design - Mark Rolli; Set Crew - Barbara Bourgeois, Amanda Bruce, Philip Curcuru, Gordon Ellis, David Fisher, Nick Gould, Rebecca Greene, Adam Heroux, Bridget Hoarty, Zac Lambert, Matthew Lundergan, Kris Reynolds, Mark Rolli, Angela Courtney Rossi, Will Tompson, Ken Tucci, Glenn Wakeley, Michaela Zullo; Run Crew - Nathan Prospery (& friends); Properties - Kara Schmitt; Lighting Design - Bruce Pennypacker; Sound Design and Operator - Iain Bason; Costume Design - Kris Reynolds; Hair & Makeup Design - Karen Burum; Photography - Jon Sachs; Intimacy Coach - Anna Silva.
Performances:
September 26, 2025 through October 11, 2025
(Contact Box Office for Exact Times)
QUANNAPOWITT PLAYERS, 55 Hopkins Street, Reading, MA. 01867-3917
TICKETS:
Contact QUANNAPOWITT PLAYERS at # 781-942-2212 or email at boxoffice@qptheater.com www.qptheater.com
BUY TICKETS
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(Warning: The following review may contain spoilers)
The Quannapowitt Players (QP) chime in spooky season with the "THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL" which keeps tongue planted firmly in cheek as it unleashes a twisted tale of murder, malevolence, mayhem, the macabre and, of course, marriage.
If you grew up in Massachusetts in the 70s or 80s, the Vincent Price 1959 movie version of "THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL" (written by Robb White) was shown relentlessly on “Creature Double Feature” or other late night or weekend afternoon movie shows.
"THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL" was shown so often locally that it became almost required viewing if you were into creepy over-the-top B horror flicks - and White’s screenplay certainly was as over-the-top as it gets.
By the way, most folks instantly recall Price from the film but seem to forget other notable actors such as handsome leading man Richard Long (of “Nanny and the Professor” and “The Big Valley” and certainly gone from this world too soon) and legendary character actor Elisha Cook, Jr.
The film’s plot was more whimsical than chilling but did a great job at holding the viewer’s interest as the ludicrous plot unfolded.
In the play adaptation by Tommy Jamerson, that spirit of camp seems more leaned into than the ghoulish nature of the story, although the folks at Quannapowitt Players have added many ominous and spooky special lighting and sound effects to help add to the fun.
(Photo: Adam Heroux as “Frederick Lauren,” and Zac Lambert as “Watson Pritchard” in a scene from Tommy Jamerson's "THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL" presented by The Quannapowitt Players in Reading, MA. now through October 11, 2025. Photo Credit: Jonathan Sachs)
In the QP production of "THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL" we meet millionaire Frederick Lauren (Adam Heroux) who becomes our guide through the tale of terror and titters.
Adam Heroux is thoroughly entertaining as Lauren and keeps our attention focused on much of the twists and turns we are about to witness.
Frederick’s wife…er, that is, fourth wife Annabelle (Kris Reynolds), instantly makes one wonder what these two ever saw in one another as the barbs fly fiercely every time the couple are on stage together.
Reynolds is quite good as the deceitful Annabelle who loathes her husband and, even though she suspects and fears foul play recalling the suspicious deaths of her predecessors, does everything in her power to remind Frederick of just how much she loathes him.
For unknown (or rather unclear) reasons (which don’t get much clearer by the end of the tale – but that was the same issue with the movie) the couple decide to have a party…a truly ghoulish, ghastly party at the "THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL" and we’re all invited along to witness the spectral misadventures about to befall.
Aiding Frederick at the HOUSE is his faithful personal assistant Cassidy Bowman (Michaela Zullo) and the “Slides” (Barbara Bourgeoisa and Ken Tucci), a ghastly elder couple that also provide most of the laughs throughout the story.
(Photo: Ken Tucci as “Byron Valifax,” in a flashback scene from Tommy Jamerson's "THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL" presented by The Quannapowitt Players in Reading, MA. now through October 11, 2025. Photo Credit: Jonathan Sachs)
Arriving at the "THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL" in a torrential rainstorm are five seemingly randomly selected invited guests.
These guests (and we) shall soon discover they have more in common than they first admit.
The last thing they wanted was to be invited to spend the night at this decrepit estate on one of the worst rainstorms of the year.
However, the only reason each has agreed to this is for, of course, a purely selfish financial motivation – i.e. greed.
Each person that stays (alive) overnight in this reportedly “haunted house” will receive fifty thousand dollars.
Watson Pritchard (Zac Lambert) already has a familial connection to the HOUSE and has visited the lurid lair enough times to have left him ultimately traumatized.
Lambert does well as Pritchard, whose presence this evening exudes a level of PTSD so distressing he has turned to relentless drinking in effort to calm(numb) his nerves.
(Photo: The CAST of Tommy Jamerson's "THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL" presented by The Quannapowitt Players in Reading, MA. now through October 11, 2025. Photo Credit: Jonathan Sachs)
Among the more colorful of the five to "THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL" is good-looking womanizer Lance Schroeder (Will Thompson), a daredevil test pilot - and playful socialite and gossip columnist Ruth Bridges (Bridget Hoarty).
Thompson and Zullo are both quite good at playing up to the high level of conceit and arrogance these two have brought to this “party.”
We also meet the shy, timid Nina Meers (Amanda Bruce) who also harbors a dark secret, one she shares with the mysterious Dr. David Trent (Phil Curcuru), another guest at the HOUSE.
Bruce is quite impressive as Nina, serving as our own POV while watching this creepy cast of unsavory characters Nina has been thrown into the mix with as they all learn more about the HOUSE.
They are educated in the tragic fate of young, beautiful Rebecca (played at respective ages by Maddie Rossi and Angela Courtney Rossi).
(Photo: Adam Heroux as “Frederick Lauren” with Michaela Zullo as “Cassidy Bowman” in a scene from Tommy Jamerson's "THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL" presented by The Quannapowitt Players in Reading, MA. now through October 11, 2025. Photo Credit: Jonathan Sachs)
Just as I found watching the original movie, there are so many absurd plot twists and turns, double crosses and triple crosses, that "THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL" ultimately proves to be a night filled less with fear and more with fun.
While the above seems to be intentional, it is counterbalanced with the use of ominous or even “otherworldly” special effects that are all well executed (perhaps a poor choice of wording, but you get the idea).
While founded in the horror genre, thanks to the more sardonic approach taken by Jamerson in his script, this fine QP cast under the direction of Mark Rolli does so well with the material they just might have you smiling more times than screaming.
If so, well…that’s probably okay, too.
"THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL" continues from Quannapowitt Players in Reading, MA. through October 11th, 2025 and will either send shivers or giggles along one's spine.
Coming up next at Quannapowitt Players will be Anton Chekov's "THE SEAGULL" (as adapted by Tom Stoppard) beginning January 16th, 2026.
For tickets and information, contact the Quannapowitt Players at # 781-942-2212 or email boxoffice@qptheater.com
BUY TICKETS
Approximately two hours with one intermission.
Kevin T. Baldwin is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA)
@MetrmagReviews
@Theatre_Critics
ABOUT THE SHOW
One of Vincent Price’s scariest - and campiest - film classics springs to the stage in this spooky new reimagining.
"THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL" tells the twisted tale of millionaire Frederick Lauren, his fourth, and least-favorite wife Annabelle, and five, money-hungry, gun-toting guests - each of whom will received fifty thousand dollars for staying the night in a supposedly haunted house.
Filled with double crosses, jilted lovers, a wicked sense of humor, and a restless spirt or two, Haunted Hill proves to be a night you’ll never forget.
ABOUT THE QUANNAPOWITT PLAYERS
THE QUANNAPOWITT PLAYERS has provided quality community theater for over 85 years in a converted historic 1853 Little Red School House in the town of Reading, Massachusetts. The delightful black-box performance space, with intimate seating for 150 patrons, has full handicap accessibility and parking.
55 Hopkins Street
Reading, MA. 01867-3917
# 781-942-2212
