WHEELING — Local history will come to life in some new ways at West Virginia Independence Hall on Feb. 8.

Live History, a theatre company specializing in bringing local history to life will present two performances of “A Knock at the Door” titled “A History Mystery.” The performances will run at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at Independence Hall courtroom. The shows, free and open to the public, are around 90 minutes each and audience sizes are limited to 30-35 people.

Live History’s shows take audiences on a 90-minute adventure through time. Audiences will experience information on the Custom House, while interacting with the characters and assisting them in solving an urgent issue that can only be resolved with the audience’s help.

“A Knock at the Door” employs both an escape room and characters from the past.

Guests receive an odd invitation. Someone well known in town has invited them to the venue, to inform them of what they claim is an important message. However, when they arrive, the host is nowhere to be found. Just when everyone is considering leaving, there is a knock on the door, and a messenger appears.

The messenger is Robin, a vagabond who used to frequent the streets of this town begging for food and money. Robin was often avoided by the members of the community and eventually faded from the town’s memory. Robin has been promised a large sum of money if they deliver this message and follow all the instructions given to them. It appears that the guests’ host is in peril and needs them to solve a series of clues in order to find them.

Deciding to lend their aid, guests must join forces with Robin, who seems to hold the key. The host is the only one who understands Robin’s unique personality and views on the world. It seems Robin’s memories, combined with the letters left to the guests, hold the answer to rescuing the host.

For more information about this Live History experience, contact Debbie Jones, WVIH site manager, at 304-238-1300 or Deborah.J.Jones@wv.gov.