#83: Angel Street, Gaslight and spooky season with Lindsey Zelli

Chasing Phantom

What could be more terrifying than to think you’re going insane? That basic horror makes “Angel Street” the perfect show to talk about during spooky season. Originally produced in London as “Gas Light” and adapted for the screen (twice) as “Gaslight,” this tale of a husband psychologically abusing his wife in order to access hidden riches was a surprise hit on Broadway in the 1940s. It was so popular, it overcame the monumentally bad timing of opening just days before the Pearl Harbor bombing to ultimately run for more than 3 years.
My guest, Lindsey Zelli, made her debut in the Virginia theater scene with her starring role in “Gaslight” and it was a local smash. Both Zelli and her costar, Axle Burtness, ended up winning Richmond Theatre Community Circle awards for their performances. Zelli and I talk about the challenge of building suspense on stage, finding the emotional beats in such an intense work, and making friends through theater. I lay out Vincent Price’s surprisingly robust early stage career also relate a bonkers story about his Broadway costar Judith Evelyn. There are no jump scares, but it’s still a conversation right in line with the horrifying aesthetic of Halloween.
Be sure and check out my website, ChasingPhantom.net, for essential video clips related to this show, a link to the full radio play and other fun facts. For more on Lindsey Zelli, check out her website. She's going to be in a show coming but she wouldn't / couldn't tell me what it is!