Wait Until Dark, Greater Boston Stage Company, Stoneham, through March 22. 781-279-2200 or greaterbostonstage.org

Greater Boston Stage Company (once known as the Stoneham Theatre) has established a fine track record presenting plays with suspenseful content. Alfred Hitchcock fans are likely to remember GBSC's fast paced production of "Strangers on a Train" and its recent gender— bending take on "Dial M for Murder." Now producing artistic director Weylin Symes is bringing similar theatrical light to the classic Frederick Knott play "Wait Until Dark" (as adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher). The exciting result is not only another company triumph in the thriller genre but also further evidence that GBSC favorite Paul Melendy ("Featherbaby") is a talent with terrific range.

Film buffs familiar with the Audrey Hepburn movie version will realize that Melendy is playing the villain Roat (and all of his incarnations) that Alan Arkin made so scary. This critic remembers a tour of the play in which Marisa Tomei portrayed the blind heroine Susan (Hepburn in the movie) effectively, but talented director Quentin Tarantino proved totally unscary as Roat. Melendy is quickly proving as adept at sinister roles as comical ones. Throughout his portrayal wisely balances understated menace and outright sadism as Roat and his accomplices search for a doll containing drugs.

Equally important, of course, is the persuasiveness of the actress playing Susan. Jenny S. Lee (who is alternating with Eliza Barmakian through the run) establishes from the start that Susan is determined to command as much independence as possible despite her sight challenge. That determination is clearly illustrated during a kind of test that Susan employs — involving her apartment — to make sure that young neighbor Gloria is not only reliable but fully trustworthy. Lee wisely captures Susan's tenacity as well as her vulnerability as she deals with the pivotal doll and the dangerous people searching for it.

The actors playing Roat's criminal colleagues catch all of their characters' distinctive personalities. Veteran actor Bill Mootos — sporting a large hat and overcoat (kudos to costume designer Deirdre Gerrard) — has all of Carlino's energy pretending to be a policeman investigating the murder of a victim found in Susan's apartment. Mamadou Toure properly presents mysterious Mike as a supposed buddy of Susan's husband Sam and brings a measure of pathos to his character as a man regrettably caught up in Roat's deadly plans. There is even an interesting moment when Toure moves closer to Lee's Susan as she happens to touch his uniform — suggesting that he may feel some attraction to her. Amalia Tonogbanua has all of Gloria's spunkiness as well as her need for validation (given the fact that her mother invites men to their upstairs apartment and her father has left his family). Thain Bertin captures photographer husband Sam's caring for Susan.

Crucial to the atmosphere and suspense of "Wait Until Dark" is a strong combination of lighting and sound. Jeff Adelberg, a master lighting designer ("The Dybbuk") brings rich fulfillment to the title of the play and Susan's ability to deal with her adversaries as she eliminates almost all of the lighting in her apartment. Particularly striking is Adelberg's use of vivid red lighting at the time an unseen truck is running down one of the accomplices. Caroline Eng provides fine accompanying sound here as well as during the final standoff between Susan and Roat.

Early on, Susan wonders why she has to be "the world's champion blind woman." Knott's play — in Hatcher's satisfying adaptation — brings convincing proof of Susan's inner dignity and total integrity as a woman. Do not miss GBSC's luminous production of "Wait Until Dark."