'The Creature Creeps' comes to the stage this weekend

What the Washington Community Theatre production of ?The Creature Creeps? lacks in scares it more than makes up for in laughs and the atmosphere of many classic B movies.

The story centers around mad scientist Count Donald Von Blitzen ? played with just the right channeling of both Bela Lugosi and Gomez Adams by Vern Miller ? and his experiments in his castle in Transylvania.

The plot begins as Constable Heinrich Shtunken, one of many roles played by Terry Shaw, and Von Blitzen discuss the disappearance of four area people. During the scene the constable remains oblivious to the screams coming from the cellar of Von Blitzen?s castle. Mord ? the quintessential ?Igor? character, complete with a hump back and played wonderfully by Chris Hanson ? appears as one of the reasons few townspeople come to the castle after dark.

As Von Blitzen and Mord plot to complete their sinister project, they are surprised when Daisy Von Blitzen ? played with ditzy delight by Whitney Campbell ? returns home from college, bringing with her a fiancé, played by Frank Sterling, and a best friend, played by Lisa Helmuth. The family reunion is completed with Countess Maritza Von Blitzen, played by Tara Action, and family caretaker Gretchen Twitchill, played by Abby Heim.

A party is called to celebrate Daisy?s pending nuptials, bringing Countess Von Blitzen?s sisters ? played by Stacy Rinner, Melanie Hawkins, A.J. Albert and Natalie Trier ? and their fiancés ? all played by Terry Shaw ? to the castle.

With the sudden disappearances of the sisters? fiancés, the Count and Mord work to bring to life and unveil the Count?s latest experiment into creating life.

The Creature Creeps is a three-act pay written by Jack Sharkey. The Washington production was directed by Dave Helmuth, with Tara Acton as the assistant director. Stage manager is Melanie Hawkins and costume designer is Lisa Hughes.

The play will be performed Oct. 17 and 18, beginning at 7:30 p.m. at the Washington Community Center.