Backstage Bonds Power Peacock’s ‘Wrong Window’

By Harrison Keely

Guest Writer

Thrills and laughter collide this fall as Hayesville’s Peacock Performing Arts Center presents Wrong Window!. The Hitchcock-inspired play follows two couples who become entangled in suspicion after glimpsing something unusual in a neighboring apartment.

Wrong Window! also marks the directoral return of David Layfield, a veteran Peacock actor. The Murphy resident’s previous directing stints included a mystery and a comedy; now he’s tackling both genres at once.

“This isn’t your typical detective story, nor is it an in-your-face farce – it’s really a delicate balance of humor and suspense,” Layfield said. “One of my strengths is being able to sense what a show needs. I enjoy seeing a scene grow from concept to performance—figuring out how to pull something off, communicating that vision, and watching the actors bring it to life.”

Supporting Layfield is a trio of trusted stage managers: Ali Whitlock, Michele Legue, and Kay Thomas. The three have become a fixture backstage, volunteering together on show after show.

Whitlock, who holds a theater degree from USF and stage-managed professionally before moving to Hayesville, said volunteering at the Peacock is a joy.

“This show is definitely more mysterious than some others we’ve worked on,” Whitlock added. The unique, layered set, which features two apartments onstage at once, adds to the challenge. “We transition back and forth between apartments during the show, while still being able to view the other through the window. Coordinating those logistics is very complex.”

Legue, a Murphy resident, said each crew member brings unique strengths such as designing props, suggesting improvements, or filling in for actors during rehearsals: “We know each other’s skills,” she said.

Over time they form bonds that feel more like family than coworkers. “You get very close to everyone by the end,” Legue said. “It’s always sad to say goodbye on the last Sunday.”

For Legue, the Peacock has brought her real family closer together, too. Her husband Ed helped build Wrong Window!’s set, her son Jordan makes his stage debut in this show, and even Jordan’s girlfriend Carrie is lending a hand backstage. “We work well together,” she said. “We have a good sense of each other’s approach to getting things done, and we laugh a lot in the process!”

As Whitlock put it, “the show is frightfully funny, with a little bit of wit and even a plot twist (or two!).” Thanks to a steady crew behind the scenes, the stage is set so that only the audience—and not the team backstage—gets to enjoy the unexpected when the curtains open on Wrong Window!

Wrong Window! runs October 3–5 and 10–12 at the Peacock, 301 Church St., Hayesville. Friday/Saturday performances are at 7:30 p.m., Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m. For details, call the box office at 828-389-2787 or visit thepeacocknc.org. The Peacock is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and an equal opportunity provider and employer.