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SALEM, MASS. – A play for local storytellers will be free for Salem residents this Friday, as Salem State University's Center for Creative and Performing Arts and theatre and speech department present Becky Nurse of Salem, a contemporary interpretation of the story of Rebecca Nurse as told through the lens of a descendant and Salem-based tour guide.
Written by acclaimed playwright Sarah Ruhl, Becky Nurse of Salem follows Becky Nurse, a modern-day descendant of Salem Witch Trials victim Rebecca Nurse who works as a tour guide in the city's tourism industry. Confronted by challenges that may seem to define her, Becky's story reveals the real human beings inside the noise of history and how far one woman will go to hold on to what she holds dear.
With three performances planned for the coming final weekend of the show, the performance scheduled for Friday, Oct. 23 will be free to Salem residents with valid ID.
The production is staged during Salem's Haunted Happenings tourism season, a time when countless storytellers of the region work to share the city's history through walking tours on Salem's streets and guided tours of historic properties. For that, the production of Becky Nurse of Salem asks audiences to reflect on whose stories are remembered, whose are overlooked, and how communities respond to those facing hardship today.
"This production is our contribution to the ongoing community conversation about what we remember, what we forget, and how we choose to tell the stories of our past," wrote director Julie Kiernan in her director's note for the production. "The Salem Witch Trials remind us that societies often fail to hear people clearly. We sort them into categories. We reduce them to stereotypes. We decide who is credible and who is not."
“In Ruhl’s play, Becky is not trapped by witchcraft but by systems: poverty, healthcare gaps, addiction, grief, aging, employment insecurity, and assumptions about who she is before she ever speaks for herself,” Kiernan continued. “Her struggles echo those of many people in our own communities today.”
Becky Nurse of Salem continues Oct. 23-25 at the Sophia Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts, 356 Lafayette St., Salem. Friday and Saturday's performances begin at 7:30 pm, while Sunday's performance starts at 2 pm. Tickets are $15, $10 for seniors, and free for students under 18 or with an ID. For more information, please visit this page.
Please note: This production contains mature themes and language and is not suitable for children younger than 16 years old.