In the quiet village of Edmonton, England, a charismatic devil arrives to bargain for the souls of its residents in exchange for their darkest wishes. One woman, Elizabeth, has been unfairly labeled a witch and is shunned by the others, but her soul is not so readily bought.
This is the premise of “Witch,” a play by New York-based writer Jen Silverman that is being produced by the Department of Theater and Dance this winter under the direction of Jasmine Roth ’14, visiting assistant professor of theater and dance.
Performances are Feb. 13-15 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. in Yulman Theater Studio A.
The work is a queer and feminist retelling of the classic Jacobean drama, “The Witch of Edmonton,” written by William Rowley, Thomas Dekker and John Ford in 1621 and based on a real-life witchcraft trial that took place at the time.
It explores themes of ostracization, social mobility, masculinity, queerness and desire.
“We chose this piece because of its unfortunate relevance to our current social-political moment and the way the text resonated with our student body,” said Roth.
Maddy Pilkington ’27, an ensemble member and understudy for several roles, said the show “will have you hooked from the start. It is an engaging commentary on the world today, as well as a fun and fast-paced story about relationships and deals with the devil.”
“‘Witch’ is a fun examination of today’s world through the lens of centuries ago,” said Spencer Newman ’25, who is taking on the role of the demon Scratch.
For Anya Landi ’27, who plays Winnifred, “Witch” is “a special play that mirrors current events in ways we can both laugh and cry at, at the same time.”
Other cast members include Jerome Anderson ’26 as Sir Arthur Banks; Aaron Armstrong ’28, ensemble member and understudy; Kellye Nguyen ’27 as Elizabeth; Matthew Parr ’25 as Frank Thorney; and Brian Rusk ’25 as Cuddy Banks.
Assistant Sound Designer Maple Smith ’28 said, “Every detail in the show has been meticulously designed, so keep your eyes and ears peeled."
Other students on the production team include assistant stage managers Kyra Kelly ’27 and Regan Roitz ’28, assistant technical director Lexi Knowles ’27, and assistant lighting designer Phoebe Ferguson ’27.
“I keep coming back to the notion that ‘Witch’ is ultimately a play about desire in a world where there is very little hope,” Roth said. “It is shaped by the desire to be who you are and love who you love, the desire to be seen, the desire for social mobility, freedom and something more than only survival. But without hope, what do we do with these desires?
A native of Manchester, N.H., Roth majored in theater at Union and went on to work in directorial and management roles at the Arizona Theatre Company, based in Phoenix and Tucson. She holds an MFA in directing from Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama in Pittsburgh, and has taught theater and dance throughout the U.S. and internationally.
Union faculty involved in “Witch” include Brittney Belz, production manager and costume designer; Drew Bodd, technical director and scenic and lighting designer; and Mackenzie Trowbridge, sound designer. Stage manager is Hannah Wolland, and fight choreographer is Joe Isenberg.
Playwright Silverman is also a TV writer, poet and novelist. They are a three-time MacDowell fellow, and a recipient of a New York Foundation for the Arts grant, the Yale Drama Series Award, and numerous other awards and fellowships.
“Witch” runs for 95 minutes, with no intermission. It contains adult subject matter and violence, and is not recommended to those under the age of 15.
Tickets are available at the Yulman Theater Box Office (open Monday through Friday, noon-1 p.m.) and at Eventbrite.