The performers and artisans who make up the core of The Patient Creatures have been working in local and regional theatre all of their adult lives, and have directed, produced, and acted in a variety of theatrical productions. But they discovered their love for the macabre at The Haunted Theatre in Norristown, PA, a lucrative fund-raiser for a local playhouse.
First involved as performers, but swiftly moving into positions as directors, designers, and producers, they helped the Haunted Theatre to become a premiere Halloween attraction in the region, with hundreds of attendees each night of the event.
When the playhouse came under new management in the early 90s, the Haunted Theatre was phased out, but a close company of actors remained together to pursue this unique form of entertainment, and The Patient Creatures were born!
With the Haunted Theatre shuttered, the Creatures began performing at Adventure World, a family theme park outside Washington, D.C. at their Hallowscream event.
The troupe quickly distinguished itself at the park, providing "street entertainment" for the crowds, and by the second year they had a storytelling theatre of their own.
The Creatures maintained a relationship with the theme park for over a decade, expanding to a 400-seat theatre with four regular shows an evening before amiably parting ways with the park in 2003.
Since that time, the Patient Creatures have traveled throughout the eastern U.S. to perform at art festivals, media conventions, schools and children's libraries, and various Halloween events. Notable appearances include MonsterBash, a festival devoted to classic movie monsters, Horrorfind.com Weekend, the northeast's premiere horror media event, and the Halloween Opera, a fine arts show in Pennsylvania. They've also performed at such unlikely venues as a local zoo and a minor-league ballpark near Baltimore.
To reach an even wider audience, the Creatures have also produced four short films for the family audience based on American "campfire stories." These films have appeared in festivals and on local TV throughout the U.S.
The Patient Creatures take great pride in presenting an extraordinary theatrical experience wherever they appear, and the actors are working to expand their fanbase and bring their presence to new venues.
If you would like to know more, or would like to contact The Patient Creatures for a personal appearance, please email us at [email protected]
