Category: Plays

Cry Innocent – opening day

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25 years ago today, “Cry Innocent” opened in Old Town Hall.
The 2016 season opens today.
Congratulations Kristina, and Norm, and these many brilliant Ha’Puritans.
CRY INNOCENT was originally presented by History Alive! (Norman Jones, artistic director) at Old Town Hall, Salem, MA, on June 20, 1992. The production was directed by Norman Jones; costumes were by Donald Daly; set pieces were by David Butler; graphic design was by Chad Carlberg. The cast was as follows:
BRIDGET BISHOP – Leigh Deacon
COLONEL JOHN HATHORNE – Patrick Gray
ALICE PICKERING, ELIZABETH NICHOLS – Elizabeth Eckert
JOHN LOUDER, RICHARD TRASK, SAM GRAY – Steve Baldwin
JOHN COOK, WILLIAM BLY – John Payette
SUSANNA SHELDON, CHRISTINA TRASK – Maryellen Nauman
MARGARET KING, MARY SHATTUCK – Dawn Jenks
REBECCA BLY, LYDIA NICHOLS – Kristen Weiss
JOHN BLY, REV. JOHN HALE – Mark Stevick
CRY INNOCENT 1993 (Norm Jones, director; Ann Levy, business director; Don Daly & Mary-Ellen Smiley, costumes) opened in Old Town Hall on June 19 with this cast: Dawn Jenks, Eva Wilson, Steven Stuart Baldwin, Matthew M. Hillas, Kristen Weiss, Leigh Deacon, Patrick Gray, Philip Austin, Elizabeth Eckert, John Payette, Mark Stevick, and Carol Smith Austin.
CRY INNOCENT 1994 (Norm Jones, director; Ann Levy, business director; Dawn Jenks, production coordinator; Don Daly, Anita Coco, costumes) opened in Old Town Hall on June 18 with this cast: Carol Smith Austin, Krista Cowan, Erik Rodenhiser, John Payette, Eva Wilson, Mignon Mason, Matthew Hillas, Jill Bowen, Steve Baldwin, Mark Stevick, Gabe Zucker, and Amy Robinson.
CRY INNOCENT 1995 (Norm Jones, director; Mark Stevick, associate director; Don Daly and Anita Coco, costumes) opened in Salem’s Old Town Hall on June 30, 1995 with this cast: Eva Wilson, Eric Vendt, Erik Rodenhiser, Steve Baldwin, Wendy Simays, Ryan Leach, Kristi Wacome, Brian Moore, Jon VanderWoude, Heidi Duncan, and Matthew M. Hillas.
CRY INNOCENT 1996 (Norm Jones, director; Mark Stevick, associate director; Eva Wilson, production coordinator; Anita Coco, Eva Wilson, costumes, Jessica Cogdill, box office) opened in Old Town Hall on June 22 with this cast: Heidi Duncan, Kristi Wacome, Erik Rodenhiser, Eric Vendt, Brian Moore, Eliza Benedict, Josh Kuhar, Eva Wilson, Jon VanderWoude, and Rebecca Hall.
CRY INNOCENT 1997 (Norm Jones, director; Mark Stevick, associate director; Eliza Benedict, production coordinator; Anita Coco, Eva Wilson, costumes; Ben Bensen, box office) opened in St. Peter’s Church on June 21 with this cast: Rebecca Hall, Brian Moore, Eric Vendt, Anneliese Stauff, Nate Moniz, Tony Martelle, Jenni Smaltz, Heidi Horner, Heidi Duncan, and Reed Mungovan.
CRY INNOCENT 1998 (Norm Jones, director; Mark Stevick, director of development; Eliza Benedict, production coordinator; Brian Moore, marketing; Anita Coco, Eva Wilson, costumes) opened in Old Town Hall on June 20 with this cast: Jenni Smaltz, Tony Martelle, Nate Moniz, Lori Evans, Seth Henderson, Dan Buck, Ben Wolfe, Heidi Duncan, and Rebekah Clinard.
CRY INNOCENT 1999 (Norm Jones, artistic director; Eric Vendt, company director; Mark Stevick, director of development; Heidi Duncan, costumes, Chelsea Butcher, box office manager) opened in Old Town Hall on June 19 with this cast: Kristi Wacome, Rebekah Clinard, Tony Martelle, Amy Aldrich, Daniel Wall, Pete Holmes, Marc Fillion, and Shana Cassidy.
CRY INNOCENT 2000 (Norm Jones, Mark Stevick, artistic directors; Kristi Wacome, company director; Karen Burch, production coordinator; Heidi Duncan, costumes) opened in Old Town Hall on June 18 with this cast: Amy Aldrich, Marc Fillion, Daniel Wall, Heather Cole, Jeremy McKeen, Adina Rowan, Nate White, Brett DeBose, and Shannyn Harris.
CRY INNOCENT 2001 (Norm Jones, Mark Stevick, artistic directors; Kristi Wacome, company director; Shana Cassidy, production coordinator; Heidi Duncan, costumes) opened in Old Town Hall on June 24 with this cast: Heather Cole, Daniel Wall, Marc Fillion, Amy Aldrich, Bryan Olsen, Danielle Frederick, Jonathan Flanders, Rupert Dudney, Orion Couling, Brielle Montgomery, and Holly Couling.
CRY INNOCENT 2002 (Norm Jones, Mark Stevick, artistic directors; Kristi Wacome, company director; Heidi Horner, production coordinator; Kristi Wacome, costumes) opened in Old Town Hall on June 16 with this cast: Danielle Frederick, Jonathan Flanders, Graham Messier, Daniel Wall, Brielle Montgomery, Warren Wegrzyn, Nathan Seavey, Elizabeth Thompson, and Natalie Hildreth.
CRY INNOCENT 2003 (Norm Jones, Jeff Miller, artistic directors; Kristi Wacome, company director; Lori Evans, production coordinator; Christine Alger, Kristi Wacome, costumes; Jenna Perreault, box office) opened in Old Town Hall on June 22 with this cast: Natalie Hildreth, Graham Messier, Paul Turbiak, Nick Neyeloff, Nora Henderson, Paul D’Agostino, Sue Brown, and Courtney Fitzgerald.
CRY INNOCENT 2004 (Jeffrey Miller, artistic director; Kristina Wacome Stevick, director of education; Lori Evans, production coordinator) opened in Old Town Hall on June 19 with this cast: Brielle Montgomery, Courtney Fitzgerald Maggs, Paul Turbiak, Graham Messier, Paul D’Agostino, Nora Henderson, Andrew Winson, Jill Rogati, and Sara Peterson.
CRY INNOCENT 2005 (Jeffrey Miller, artistic director; Kristina Wacome Stevick, director of education; Lori Evans, production coordinator, Meg Jones, box office) opened in Old Town Hall on June 19 with this cast: Audrey Peters, Kaitlyn Henderson, Jill Rogati, Grace Menzies, Anne Colpitts, Elizabeth Polen, Brett Johnson, Nathan Seavey, Jon Flanders, and Damien Jesperson.
CRY INNOCENT 2006 (Kristina Wacome Stevick, artistic director; Dawn Sarrouf, director; Dreme McClennan, production coordinator; Maria Stuart, production assistant) opened in Old Town Hall on June 23 with this cast: Trisha Hail, Julianne Richards, Victoria Cimino, Rachel Mayer, Rebecca Collura, Mary Seville, Anne Colpitts, Brett Johnson, Andrew Hoover, Stephen Humeston, Eric Stevenson, David Draper.
CRY INNOCENT 2007 (Kristina Wacome Stevick, artistic director; Dawn Jenks Sarrouf, director; Dreme McClennan, prod. coord.) opened in Old Town Hall on June 29 with this cast: Victoria Cimino, Anne Colpitts, Elizabeth Condon, David Draper, Jesse Gilday, Trisha Hail, Andrew Hoover, Hannah McBride, Brittany Perkins, Liz Polen, Julianne Richards, Mary Seville, Eric Stevenson, Joseph Stiliano, and Jacob Watson.
CRY INNOCENT 2008 (Kristina Wacome Stevick, artistic director; Mark Wacome Stevick, director; Allison Petrone, stage manager; Liz Condon, PR; Christina Brandano, a.s.m.; Carrie Midura, costumes) opened in Old Town Hall on June 29 with this cast: Jenney Dale, Eli Donis, Bobby Imperato, Kim Kurczy, Alec Lewis, Hannah McBride, Kathleen McGovern, Natalie Miller, Kim Peck, Jay Pension, Julianne Richards, David Stickney, Joseph Stiliano, Rachel Strasner, and Jacob Watson.
CRY INNOCENT 2009 (Kristina Wacome Stevick, artistic director; David Goss, historian; Sarah Hartlett, site & stage manager; Kaitlyn Prior, stage manager.; Jessica Hackett & Tori Cimino, a.s.m.; Cheri Grishin, box office; Carrie Midura, costumes) opened in Old Town Hall on June 28 with this cast: Lurie Armand, Melissa Federico, Carol Grossi, Nick Hanlon, Bobby Imperato, Bruce Keye, Dennis Lemoine, Nicole Leotzakis, Hannah McBride, Natalie Miller, Daniel Parziale, Jay Pension, Chris Preyor, Nate Punches, Matt Schetne, Leda Uberbacher, and Kristina Walker.
CRY INNOCENT 2010 (Kristina Wacome Stevick, artistic director; Kathleen McGovern, director; Paul D’Agostino, October cast director; Sarah Hartlett, site & stage manager; Cheri Grishin, box office & sales manager; Lisa Landrebe, box office assistant; Carrie Midura and Jill Hall, costumes) opened in Old Town Hall on July 2 with this cast: Jenney Dale, Eli Donis, Marc Ewert, Andrew Hoover, Taylor Jones, Brittany Mitchell, Devon Rattigan, and Susanna Young.
CRY INNOCENT 2011 (Kristina Wacome Stevick, artistic director; Anne Colpitts and Jill Rogati, directors; Sarah Hartlett, site manager; Cheri Grishin, production coordinator; Christine¬ Kohli, box office) opened in Old Town Hall on July 3 with this cast: Conor Burke, Shari Caplan, Jenney Dale, Dominique Gobeil, Brittany Mitchell, Peter Murphy, Jasmine Myers, Jack Souweha, Armerys Suarez, and Steven Turner.
CRY INNOCENT 2012 (Kristina Wacome Stevick, artistic director; Jill Rogati, director; Cheri Grishin, production coordinator; Armerys Suarez, box office) opened in Old Town Hall on June 24 with this cast: Chelsea Borden, Conor Burke, Colin Colford, Kathy-Ann Hart, Sam Joyall, Sarah Mann, Britt Mitchell, Jasmine Myers, Thom Rash, and Keith Trickett.
CRY INNOCENT 2013 (Kristina Wacome Stevick, artistic director; Cheri Grishin, production coordinator) opened in Old Town Hall on June 18 with this cast: Colin Colford, Rachel Stigers, Ameila Haas, Sophie Lieton-Toomey, Diana Dunlap, Chelsea Borden, Carl Schultz, Max Sklar, Ariele Kaplan, Olivia DuMaine, Conor Burke, and Steve Pierce.
CRY INNOCENT 2014 (Kristina Wacome Stevick, artistic director; Cheri Grishin, production coordinator) opened in Old Town Hall on June 18 with this cast: Colin Colford, Rachel Stigers, Ameila Haas, Sophie Lieton-Toomey, Diana Dunlap, Chelsea Borden, Carl Schultz, Max Sklar, Ariele Kaplan, Olivia DuMaine, Conor Burke, Steve Pierce, Hillary Webster, Will Martin, and Pat Bridgeman.
CRY INNOCENT 2015 (Kristina Wacome Stevick, artistic director; Cheri Grishin, group sales; Will Frazier, production coordinator; Sarah Mann, assistant director) opened in Old Town Hall on June 20 with this cast: Colin Colford, Rachel Stigers, Ameila Haas, Nathan Burgette, Sophie Lieton-Toomey, Diana Dunlap, Chelsea Borden, Carl Schultz, Max Sklar, Ariele Kaplan, Olivia DuMaine, Heather Pasquazzi, Will Martin, and Pat Bridgeman.
CRY INNOCENT 2016 (Kristina Wacome Stevick, artistic director; Marc Ewart, production manager; Carl Schultz, shift supervisor; Sarah Tweed, box office) opened in Old Town Hall on June 20 with this cast: Molly Sidell, Daniel Alvarado, Chloe Eaton, Bradley Boutcher, Garrett Reynolds, Macey Jenkins, Patrick Cornacchio, Sophie Lieton-Toomey, Amelia Haas, Max Sklar, Heather Pasquazzi, Pat Bridgeman, and Sydney Taylor.
This list is missing some folks who were October season only.

Family Drama

On By markstevickIn PlaysLeave a comment

Our family, on a Saturday morning in PJs, recorded the opening 90 seconds of Goodnight, Captain White. (Click and chuckle.)

Using a program like Audacity, you can record everyone all together, or you can, like I did that morning, record in little chunks. The latter works well when your actors can’t read. And with fewer overlaps in the recording you’re freer to move lines around and make rhythms your ear wants.

After recording, we downloaded some music for the start and for background, and we made the sound effect of footsteps using their wood blocks.

This was lemon squeezy.

Here’s a script. Read along as it plays.

CAPTAIN WHITE SCRIPT

FRANK. Well. The Captain looks in perfect health tonight, wouldn’t you say?

ABIGAIL. Yes, I would, perfect.

FRANK. Yes.

RICHARD. Would you.

FRANK. Sorry?

RICHARD. I would say he looks like a trout.

ABIGAIL. Lovely.

FRANK. A trout?

ABIGAIL Frank, dear, some of the guests are leaving, let’s see them out, shall we?—since Uncle’s gone upstairs.

FRANK. By all means. Please excuse us. And, do help yourselves to the uh—oh, I see you have, yes. Well. Mr. Crowninshield. Miss Muchmore. [leaving] A trout? (FRANK and ABIGAIL exit, murmuring)

PENNY. What kind of trout?

RICHARD. Doesn’t matter.

PENNY. No? I think it does. Makes it more interesting. Details. Give me the gory details.

RICHARD. The only detail that matters here is the belly.

PENNY. The belly?

RICHARD. Yes, the soft, pliable white underbelly of the fish.

PENNY. Ah.

RICHARD. The trout is floating—belly-up.

PENNY. Yes, I see. [Noises off, ABIGAIL and FRANK bidding goodbye]
Oh!

RICHARD. Have I frightened you?

PENNY. No—well, yes of course Richard, but I’ve cut myself on this little clasp, I think.

RICHARD. Bleeding, are you?

PENNY. Well I can’t tell yet. Perhaps. Will it need a bandage?

RICHARD. Let me see. [Goes to examine her hand] I don’t see a cut.

PENNY. You’re right of course. It’s nothing. Tell me, why did you come here?

RICHARD. Because I wasn’t invited.

PENNY. But you were–there was a note in the Gazette. You do read, don’t you, Richard?

RICHARD. Only obituaries. Of men I’ve killed.

PENNY. Oh!

RICHARD. Shocked?

PENNY. Have you?

RICHARD. Killed?

PENNY. Yes.

RICHARD. No.

PENNY. Oh.

__

-cast-

Frank Knapp: Me

Abigail Knapp: Yelena

Richard Crowninshield: Wyn

Penelope Muchmore: herself

__

History Alive, Inc., is seeking comedic actors for all six roles in the play, which will be directed by Sarah J. Mann.
AUDITIONS will be at Salem’s Old Town Hall on February 19th & 20th at 6pm, and February 21st at noon, with call backs (if needed) that evening.
As this is a stylized whodunit comedy, all ages (18+) and genders are considered for all roles. The play is interactive and relies frequently on improvisation; actors should be comfortable with physical comedy and improv.
The production dates are 3/31, 4/1 & 4/2 at The Hawthorne Hotel in Salem, with an additional weekend TBD over the spring in Marblehead, MA. Additional performances could follow if desired. Actors will be paid a stipend for rehearsal and performances.
For the audition, please prepare a 1-2 minute comedic monologue (preferably classical, but not required), and be ready for cold-reading from the script.
To schedule an audition please e-mail s.jplaywright@gmail.com with your name and preferred audition time.

Captain White – “May your first child…”

On By markstevickIn PlaysLeave a comment

“And may your first child be a masculine child.”

Brilliant Friends, I’m trying to sell 30 tickets to my play, Goodnight, Captain White, at the Hawthorne Hotel—end of this month. This is a benefit for Saltonstall School, where many small people I love attend. The show will feature the school principal, Mr. G, and several teachers and parents, as The Deputy.

The dates for this run are March 31, April 1 & 2 at 7:30 p.m.
(Buy tickets here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2503042 )

If you can, please attend on April 1 or 2, and save March 31 for Bryan Parys’s event and book release at the Cabot Theatre.
https://www.facebook.com/events/473350742864445/

Here’s a further diversion:

The Goodnight, Captain White script pilfers lines from films, plays, TV shows, and short stories. For the next week or so, I’ll post one of those lines here each day. If you recognize its source, be the first to identify the title. The big brain (“on Brett”) who first identifies the most titles gets a free ticket to one of the April shows, courtesy of my very deep pockets. (No company or cast members allowed—and I’m sure you all won’t cheat… Right, Crowninshield?)

We’ll start with the “masculine child” quote above. Where’s it from?

Love and thanks.

-photo by Social Pilates Photography. Featuring Lauren Feeney, Arielle Kaplan, Zack Reardon, Matt Perusse, Chris Martel, and Will Martin

Goodnight, Captain White

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Audition for GOODNIGHT, CAPTAIN WHITE

Goodnight, Captain White is a comic whodunit that re-imagines the infamous 1830 murder of wealthy Salem sea captain Joseph White. Guests to the Captain’s party are served up the long-brewed grudges and brazen schemes that led to the Captain’s untimely death. Six of the historic characters conspire during the play’s first act until the murder is committed. During act two, audience members may reconstruct the suspects’ movements and grill them on their motives. Then the guests help Sen. Daniel Webster ferret out each evening’s killers. Which of the play’s five endings is performed depends on the vicissitudes of its audience.

History Alive, Inc., is seeking comedic actors for all six roles in the play, which will be directed by Sarah J. Mann.

AUDITIONS will be at Salem’s Old Town Hall on February 19th & 20th at 6pm, and February 21st at noon, with call backs (if needed) that evening.

As this is a stylized whodunit comedy, all ages (18+) and genders are considered for all roles. The play is interactive and relies frequently on improvisation; actors should be comfortable with physical comedy and improv.

The following roles are open:
–Lavinnia Beckford, the Captain’s excessive and exacting housekeeper
–Abigail Knapp, Lavinnia’s daughter, the Captain’s capable grand niece
–Frank Knapp, Abigail’s hapless husband, the Captain’s former employee
–Richard Crowninshield, a dangerous outlaw type
–Penelope Muchmore, an amorous harlot type
–Daniel Webster, under cover as hired help. During the play he is mistaken for the manservant, and is wrongly thought to be deaf (doubles as Captain White).

The production dates are 3/31, 4/1 & 4/2 at The Hawthorne Hotel in Salem, with an additional weekend TBD over the spring in Marblehead, MA. Additional performances could follow if desired. Actors will be paid a stipend for rehearsal and performances.

For the audition, please prepare a 1-2 minute comedic monologue (preferably classical, but not required), and be ready for cold-reading from the script.

To schedule an audition please e-mail s.jplaywright@gmail.com with your name and preferred audition time.

__

Some reviews of Goodnight, Captain White: “An ideal production for a dinner theatre” (Essex County Newspapers); “a provocative script…dialogue with the tone of a Gilbert & Sullivan operetta” (Lowell Sun); “A hysterical whodunit…both comical and personal” (Salem News); “Quick-witted, playful…a brilliant script” (Weekender); “a spritely murder mystery…dashedly clever” (Georgetown Record); “A zany who-done-it…it captivates you” (Eagle Tribune); “a tour de force…a fun worthwhile evening out” (Daily News of Newburyport); “Rich with innuendo…relies on a talented cast for improv and audience interaction…a night of good fun” (Destination Salem).