Jeffrey Hatcher's stage work, adapted from Henry James' original 1898 story, follows "a young, naïve governess [who] journeys to a lonely English manor house to care for two recently orphaned children. The story she tells – which was 'written in a diary in faded ink' – is a story of terror and horror. The details of the diary – a letter, a locket, a riddle and a name – weave a chilling story that reveals unexplained mysteries about the house's extraordinary past," according to press notes.

The Turn of the Screw begins performances Oct. 11 on the Westport stage. Following the 3 PM matinee on Oct. 14, Westport artistic director Tazewell Thompson will moderate the free discussion about James' writings and the current stage production.

Joining Thompson for the discussion will be panelists Jeffrey Hatcher, Turn of the Screw playwright; Michelle Loris, professor and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Sacred Heart University; and George Monteiro, professor at Brown University and former president of The Henry James Society.

Loy Arcenas directs The Turn of the Screw, which stars Charlotte Parry as The Governess with Tom Beckett playing The Man and other roles. Parry's Broadway credits include the Dickensian drama Coram Boy and The Real Thing. Beckett returns to the Westport stage, having appeared in Broadway's Epic Proportions and The Father.

The Turn of the Screw will play the Westport Country Playhouse through Oct. 27. Tickets are available by calling (203) 227-4177 or by visiting www.westportplayhouse.org. The Westport Country Playhouse is located at 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, in Westport, CT.