The Hippodrome State Theatre will debut an adaptation of the novel-turned-cult-classic-film “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?” as its latest show.
Discounted previews will end this week, and the play will run from Friday to Nov. 6, Jessica Hurov, the Hippodrome’s managing director, said.
Although “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?” began as a novel by Henry Farrell, the book was later adapted for the screen and starred Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. It became one of the most famous movies made in the 1960s, said Lauren Caldwell, the Hippodrome’s artistic director and the director of the play.
Caldwell said she remembers watching the psychological thriller as a teenager with her mother and was still aware of it while growing up.
“It’s one of those movies that has come up in conversation throughout my lifetime for a long time,” she said.
Caldwell watched the movie again in preparation for directing the play and noticed that although the play doesn’t mirror the film, it holds true to the story.
The Hippodrome has been looking for an adaptation of the film for quite a while but hadn’t had luck with the scripts the theater received or found. The process took almost a year, but after finding the script and requesting a copy, the theater finally acquired the rights to the play, Caldwell said.
It has been a Hippodrome tradition to put on plays during the month of October that celebrate Halloween. In the past, the theater has put on plays like “Dracula,” “The Turn of The Screw” and “Carrie,” which are also more novel-to-film adaptations.
“Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?” with its suspenseful, spine-tingling moments, breaks up those scenes of tension with black, campy humor. This is what makes the play different from other psychological thrillers.
Caldwell said locals want to be part of these Gainesville events, adding whatever holiday-themed activities possible to their schedules.
“Halloween is one of those moments in our yearly rituals that we live for,” she said. “People love Halloween.”
Although Gainesville is already filled with numerous Halloween-themed events during October, “Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?” brings a unique “process of terror” and comic relief for audience members to partake in, Caldwell said.
The Hippodrome is well-known for putting on these Halloween-themed plays, Hurov said. She said she enjoys seeing audience members come out and dress up for a fun night.
“You don’t have to go to Orlando for Horror Nights; you can stay right here,” she said.
Discounted preview tickets cost $18. General admission for the play will range from $20 to $35, with discounts for UF and Santa Fe College students, in addition to other discounts, Hurov said.
Caldwell said she enjoys watching the costume-clad audience members file in to watch the play.
They usually come as onstage characters if they’re big enough fans, she said, or they wear any particular costumes they enjoy.
“It’s a big time; it’s a big party,” she said.
