BUCHANAN — Just in time for Halloween season, Tin Shop Theatre’s 2019 season will end with death, psychological turmoil and all-around creepiness.

The local production of the thriller play “The Bad Seed” will premiere at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 25 at Tin Shop’s 108 E. Roe St. location. It will also be performed at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1; 7:30 p.m. Saturdays Oct. 26 and Nov. 2; 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27 and Nov. 2; and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31.

“The Bad Seed” is centered on the Penmark family, including mom, Christine, and daughter, Rhoda, in the wake of the drowning of Rhoda’s classmate, Claude Daigle. As suspicions arise about Claude’s death, the secrets and emotions of Christine, Rhoda and others are intensified.

The 1954 play is based on a 1954 novel of the same name by William March. It was later adapted into a 1956 film.

The film introduced director and South Bend resident Dawn Hagerty to the play.

“I loved to watch old movies with my grandmother, and this was one of my favorites since I was younger,” she said. “I don’t like horror films, but I love a good thriller.”

This is Hagerty’s first foray into directing, but she is no newcomer to theater. She performs with South Bend Civic Theatre and will be directing its play, “Emma,” next spring.

Hagerty encouraged many of her fellow Civic Theatre thespians to try out for the Buchanan-based “The Bad Seed” production, and some came with her.

She called the production “a true community show,” as it features people from Buchanan, Niles, South Bend, Mishawaka and Edwardsburg.

Wendy Chevrie, of Mishawaka, was one of the actresses encouraged to try out for the play by Hagerty and assistant director Kelly Carlin, of Buchanan.

“The full cast is just amazing,” she said. “It’s so much fun to come here every single day and try to be somebody else, but at the same time, still getting to be around all my favorite people.”

Chevrie plays the Penmark’s somewhat-oblivious landlady, Monica Breedlove. Monica is often unknowing of the secrecy and mental strain on those around her, Hagerty said, making her a bit of comic relief in an otherwise unnerving character cast.

Hagerty said the level of creepiness — a word used often at Tuesday’s practice to describe the show — among many of the characters can make it difficult to determine who is guilty of more sinister crimes that arise in the play.

The production also has a different ending than the 1956 film adaptation and features more characters than the 1954 play.

“I think the creepiest part of the whole show, for me, is the very, very end,” said Nicole Wilder-Kocsis. “I’m not going to give anything away, but how the show ends is just, ‘Oh my gosh!’”

Wilder-Kocsis, Lisa Blodget, of South Bend, and Chenai Gillispie, of Niles, make up the Fern sisters that run Rhoda’s school. In most productions of the play, only one of the three sisters is casted.

“We try to find ticks between the three of us,” Blodget said. “Sometimes, we’ll all turn the same way at the same time, and we’ll give the same stare at the same time, and it’s really creepy.”

“It’s really creepy,” Wilder-Kocsis replied.

“I would say, though, by far, the creepiest character in the entire show is Rhoda,” Blodget said.

Rhoda is played by Buchanan resident Hayden Miller. Hagerty said Miller’s character’s creepiness is emphasized because Rhoda appears outwardly sweet.

“Everyone really has a grasp of who their character is, and that’s been kind of fun to watch,” Hagerty said. “What my ideas are of the character, and then what they bring to it, really heightens things.”

People can see the cast get into the Halloween spirit on stage by purchasing tickets by stopping by Tin Shop Theatre, calling it at (269) 695-6464 or by going to tinshoptheatre.org.

Tickets cost $12 for adults, $10 for students 13 to 21, $5 for children 12 and under, $10 for senior citizens and $9 per person in a group of 10 or more.

Hagerty advises that the play is best suited for mature fifth-grade students on up.