TARPON SPRINGS -- Saying audiences are sick of the same old musicals and hungry for heavy drama, Dick Poole is bringing one of the darkest works of the 19th century to the community theater stage.

Tarpon Springs gave the longtime community theater director permission to bring The Heiress, a tragic story filled with complicated relationships and a couple of unkind characters, to its Performing Arts Center.

The play, based on the 1881 novel Washington Square by Henry James, was adapted by Ruth and Augustus Goetz. It runs through April 14.

"It is rather dark in a way for community theater," Poole said. "But people have enjoyed it."

How does he know?

He sneaks into the audiences at night and listens to their comments.

At first, they feel sorry for poor Catherine Sloper. What a life she led. She is a plain, meek woman who was verbally beaten down by her cold, physician father.

Then along comes handsome Morris Townsend, Catherine's suitor. But Catherine's father, realizing Morris wants his daughter only for her inheritance and not her charms, threatens to disinherit her if she marries him. So the couple makes plans to elope -- only Morris, knowing she no longer has any money, dumps her.

Catherine seethes. Soon, she becomes bitter and vindictive. Audiences see just how mean she can be when they see the twist at the end.

At 80, Poole is a funny, energetic man who makes the costumes and gets secondhand stores to loan him furniture for sets. He has directed many light comedies at Clearwater's Francis Wilson Playhouse and New Port Richey's Richey Suncoast Theatre. He prefers the dramas like The Heiress.

"They (theaters) are afraid to stretch their wings a little," he said."Audiences are seeing the same things over and over like South Pacific and the Sound of Music. We need to break out and do new things. In Tarpon Springs, they are letting me do something a little riskier."

Kathleen Monahan, Tarpon Springs director of cultural and civic services, said she "had trust" in Poole.

"People tend to look for escape," she said. "But this story is really fascinating, the characters are complicated. It's the conflict between father and daughter. It's the love/hate relationships. It's timeless. You can see this happening in families today."

For years, Tarpon Springs did not offer dramatic plays because of problems with logistics. Because the Tarpon Springs Commission meets in the Performing Arts Center on Tuesday evenings, rehearsal schedules often were interrupted. Now, casts rehearse in the newly opened Heritage Museum on meeting nights.

Monahan said she plans to offer more productions like The Heiress in the future.

"(Drama) is a need in this community," she said. "We try to find creative and important works that don't have a venue."

-- Eileen Schulte can be reached at (727) 445-4153 or schulte@sptimes.com .

If you go

See The Heiress at 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday or 8 p.m. Monday at the Tarpon Springs Performing Arts Center, 324 Pine St. (inside City Hall). The cast includes Ray Kenny as Dr. Sloper, Georgette Rasmussen as Mrs. Peniman, Kathleen McCormick as Catherine Sloper and Drew Lundquist as Morris Townsend.

Admission is $14 general, $12 for center members and students. For information, call (727) 942-5605.

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