It's that time of year again. Are you ready for scary things like ghosts, goblins and huge bowls of candy lurking 'round every corner?

Prime Stage Theatre can help you get into the "spirit" with "Gatherings in Graveyards," a bevy of spooky tales and poems under the direction of Laura A. McCarthy.

The performance begins well before the lights go down with Adam Shreckhise's creative set. Two black-draped statues guard lonely graves with such realistic effect, you might swear you see them breathing.

Matthew Lucia stars as Montresor in "The Cask of Amontillado" as part of "Gatherings in Graveyards" at the Prime Stage Theatre. 'Gatherings in Graveyards' Where: Prime Stage Theatre For Youth and Families, 937 Liberty Ave., Cultural District. When: Ends Sunday. Fri.-Sat. 8 p.m.; Sun. 2:30 p.m. Tickets: $7-$15. 412-394-3353.

Suddenly not sure what's real and what's fake? Welcome to the world of Edgar Allan Poe. Brenda Marks gives a dramatic recitation of Poe's "The Conqueror Worm." Dressed in colorful gypsy garb, Marks swoops around the stage, telling of an audience of mournful angels who watch helpless performers stumble about, only to be overcome by a horrific monster. The play is, Poe tells us, "the tragedy, 'Man.' "

Marks' performance is theatrical and interesting to watch. The near dance-like movements probably keep some of the younger audience members intrigued, especially since Poe's language is fairly lush and dense. For me, though, the high drama of the reading is excessive, to the point that it detracts from the language, subtracting from, rather than adding to its imagery.

That's not true of the next piece, Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado." Here, the ingenious theatricality pulls the audience into the dark world of the story. Montresor (Matthew Lucia) tricks Fortunato (Gunther Kusior) into the dark labyrinth of his cellar in order to exact revenge for presumed social slights. To indicate the depths of this subterranean dungeon, McCarthy has cloaked Shadows move screened panels around the actors as they walk, so it seems they're not only navigating twists and turns but are constrained by damp, close walls.

Lucia and Kusior ably play these self-obsessed characters, though I'm not a fan of the phony hysterical laughter that marks the climax of the play.

Next is Edward Mast's "The Monkey's Paw," with the familiar lesson that you better be careful what you wish for. The family in this tale is warmly played by Paul Stockhausen, Sara Gaille and Joseph Michael Moser, so that when tragedy descends, it's truly upsetting. The ending, though, in this adaptation by W.W. Jacobs, is so abrupt it feels incomplete.

Adapted from Shirley Jackson's story, Brainerd Duffield's "The Lottery" relies on mystery to capture the audience. A town assembles for an annual lottery but it's not until the final moments of the play that the nature of the lottery is revealed.

McCarthy and cast nicely build the tension of the piece, giving the shock of its conclusion full force.

Marks ends the production with a more subdued and cleverly ironic reading of L. Frank Baum's "Who's Afraid" -- and a little Shakespeare thrown in for good measure. She reminds us that this is just theater, nothing but a dream, really. No need to be frightened. After all, you can tell the difference between what's real and what's fake, can't'chya?