The Appalachian Arts Alliance this week launches Vigil, a one man show by Tim Deaton-Conway that will run at the Hal Rogers Forum in Hazard over the Halloween weekend. The performance opens Friday at 8 30 p.m., with additional shows Saturday at 8 30 p.m. and Sunday at 4 p.m. Tickets are $15 and available online, and the audience for each performance is capped at 50 people.

Vigil is presented in a black box style, a staging choice that places the audience on the stage with the performer. That configuration reduces capacity and creates an immersive environment that organizers say will intensify the theatrical experience. The production carries an adult age restriction because it addresses weighty subject matter including death, and organizers caution that portions of the show are both dark and emotionally charged.

Tim Deaton-Conway described the project as a long held ambition. He said, "I’m Kimp," and added, "This is a project that I’ve wanted to do for 25 years." He said he was first inspired to take on this show while in college at Morehead State. "It’s taken me 25 years to get the the the nerves to do it," he said. "I’m really excited about it. It’s a a return to dramatic and comedic theater for me." Deaton-Conway characterized the piece as a dark psycho comedy that will also prompt laughter and tears. "It’s a unique experience very immersive," he said. "We are planning some pretty amazing things with this show but at the same time it’s super hysterical. We do have an adult age restriction on it because it does have some pretty serious content with death and things like that."

For Perry County residents the production represents both a cultural offering and a test case for how local arts programming balances artistic ambition with public access. The limited seating and age restriction mean fewer residents will be able to attend each performance, which concentrates demand for tickets and may push interested patrons to plan ahead. The timing over a holiday weekend may draw visitors from outside the county, potentially benefiting nearby restaurants and shops, but it also places pressure on small venues to manage crowding while preserving the immersive format.

The Appalachian Arts Alliance has positioned the Hal Rogers Forum as a regional venue for varied programming, and Vigil underscores the organization’s role in cultivating local arts. For citizens interested in attending, tickets are sold online and the three performances mark a rare opportunity to see an intimate, single actor production staged in close quarters. As arts organizations in Perry County continue to expand offerings, questions about affordability, capacity and community inclusion will remain central to how cultural institutions serve residents and foster civic engagement.