Hickory – A lawyer haunted by memories of a terrifying case steps onto the stage to share his tale. What begins as a simple recounting soon unravels into a chilling encounter with the supernatural, where every shadow hides a secret and every sound may be a warning. Desperate to exorcise his fear, Arthur Kipps hires an Actor to help him tell the story — but the more they perform, the more the line between past and present begins to blur.

The role of The Actor in this production is played by Steve Scheur, a Huntersville resident who has been part of the Hickory community for three years. Scheur is a retired IT Project Manager and earned his BBA in Management from Texas Tech University. He made his Hickory Community Theatre debut earlier this year as Pontius Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar. His other most recent roles were Gaston in Picasso at the Lapin Agile at Lee Street Theatre and as Professor Callahan in Legally Blonde with Porch Productions at Blumenthal Performing Arts.

When asked what drew him to this production, Scheur said, “I’ve loved this show since I first read it 12 years ago.” He especially enjoys the demands of his part, noting, “I like the multiple characters and the dramatic intensity.” Outside of the theatre, Scheur enjoys soccer, biking, playing guitar, and singing.

Performances of The Woman in Black are October 17 through November 1; Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm, Sundays at 2:30pm and Thursday, October 30 at 7:30pm. Tickets are $18 for adults and $12 for students/youth 18 & under, available at hickorytheatre.org or by phone at 828-328-2283. The show is suitable for ages 13 and up. The performance on Saturday, November 1st will include American Sign Language interpretation.

Hickory Community Theatre is a Funded Affiliate of Arts Culture Catawba and receives sustaining support from the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The 77th season is supported by The City of Hickory, A Cleaner World, Shurtape Technologies, Acuna & Acuna Dentistry and BelleAge.

Photo:  Steve Scheur plays multiple roles as “The Actor” in The Woman in Black at the Hickory Community Theatre. This production runs October 17 through November 1 in the Jeffers Theatre.  Photo by Eric Seale.