Shows, Shows, Shows!
Right now my company Plays in Place has THREE shows currently running and tickets just went on sale for The Hull-Hawley Plays at Historic Northampton. Don’t miss your chance to see these fabulous new site-specific plays that shed new light and life on different stories from the American Revolution.
July 10-August 16, Fridays & Saturdays at 6:30pm, Sundays at 2:30pm
at Historic Deerfield.
Three one-act plays by Talya Kingston, Valyn Lyric Turner, and Patrick Gabridge, directed by Brianna Sloane.
In the summer of 1774, seeds of revolution begin to germinate in Deerfield when a Liberty Pole is brought to town. The characters in these three new one-act plays explore the political divisions, tangled family relations, and the complexities of enslavement from all sides. Join this vibrant, immersive examination of the historical split that will define America.
The Slippery Truth: Prison Break at New-Gate
July 10-August 30, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, at 5:30pm.
Written by Patrick Gabridge and directed by Zoë Golub-Sass, performed at and IN the Old New-Gate Prison & Copper Mine in East Granby, CT.
In 1781, as Generals Washington and Rochambeau are making plans to end the Revolutionary War, a group of Loyalist prisoners break out of the New-Gate Prison in Simsbury, Connecticut. They overpower the guards, kill one of them, and rush out into the night. Discovering the truth behind the escape falls on prison trustee John Forward, who interrogates guards and the recaptured prisoners. One thing becomes increasingly clear—someone is lying. Don’t miss this exploration of the complexities of war, prison, and loyalty at this powerful historic site. (Act II is an immersive audio experience in the actual mine!)
Loyalty or Liberty: Tales from Revolutionary Newport
June 30-September 1, Tuesdays and Saturdays only, 6pm
Three one-act plays by Ken Green, Lily Mathews, and Patrick Gabridge, directed by Rachel Walshe, at Hunter House in Newport.
Created for The Preservation Society of Newport County, these plays highlight the difficult choices faced by many during the American Revolution, and explore slavery, freedom, loyalty, liberty, and even love during times of intense uncertainty. Staged on the water’s edge in the historic Point neighborhood, the main characters include the stranded Loyalist wife, Sarah Wanton; an enslaved woman and her enslaved husband, Dinah and James; and Admiral de Barras, a Frenchman who is given a choice that might help end the war.
To mark the nation’s 250th anniversary, Historic Northampton presents two new plays. These one-act dramas take us into the lives of two Northampton residents in the years just before the American Revolution.
The Widow’s Land
by Betel Arnold
The Widow’s Land by Betel Arnold
In 1765, Bathsheba Hull, a Black woman living with her children in her home on an island in the Mill River, receives an eviction notice from Town officials. The Widow’s Land follows her fight for her home, her position as a free woman in colonial Northampton, and her children’s future.
Hold These Truths
by Harley Erdman
Hold These Truths by Harley Erdman
In May 1774, Massachusetts is on the cusp of rebellion and ready to call for the first Continental Congress to be held in Philadelphia. Joseph Hawley, a Northampton lawyer and prominent Patriot, is nominated to represent Massachusetts.Hold These Truths explores Hawley’s life, his political ideals, and his struggles with depression as he decides whether to accept the nomination.