The History Plays
In 1992 I wrote my first history play, The Columbus Day Sail, marking the 500 Anniversary of the momentous voyage. Doing the research, I discovered the fascinating stories beyond the standard treatments in history books. After that first effort I was hooked, and began producing a steady stream of shows. Some were developed for our Family Stages school tours. Others were commisioned by communities like Georgetown and Lewes, Delaware. The goal has always been to combine history and humor in telling an accurate, appealing story.
In 1992 I wrote my first history play, The Columbus Day Sail, marking the 500 Anniversary of the momentous voyage. Doing the research, I discovered the fascinating stories beyond the standard treatments in history books. After that first effort I was hooked, and began producing a steady stream of shows. Some were developed for our Family Stages school tours. Others were commisioned by communities like Georgetown and Lewes, Delaware. The goal has always been to combine history and humor in telling an accurate, appealing story.
Finding King Tut In 1922 archaeologist Howard Carter and his crew carved through 3000 year of sand and shale to reach the door of a tomb marked with the sign of King Tutankhamen. Beyond that door lay treasures beyond belief and a once-in-a-lifetime glimpse into the ancient culture of Egypt. Eureka! The "Aha!" moments of great scientists come to life as audiences meet Galileo, Isaac Newton, Louis Pasteur, George Washignton Carver and Marie Curie. This inspirational presentation demontrates the natural curiosity of these geniuses, and shows how they used the "scientific method". Nicholas Copernicus, The Center of Light Mikolaj Kopernik is best known for correctly mapping the solar system. However, his story goes much deeper. In service to his native Poland as a doctor, lawyer and cleric, he defended against foreign invaders and developed economic stategies to protect the currency. That Fabulous Franklin This 2006 tribute celebrating Franklin's 300th birthday features guest appearances by Silence Dogood and "Poor Richard" Saunders. The play conludes with a four minute reenactment of the American Revolution narrated by Ben and performed entirely by actor #2! The Seeds of Freedom General Tadeusz Kosciuszko was a Polish military engineer who served under George Washington. The ramparts he constructed were instumental in the victory at Saratoga. He also designed and built the fortifications at West Point. This play has been performed often at the Visitors Center of Independence National Park. The Columbus Day Sail This was my first history play, written in 1992 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the momentous crossing. Cristobal Colon didn't know where he was, and he didn't know what he had done, but his voyage changed the world more than any other single event. Lewis & Clark, Discovering America, In 2004 this play celebrated the 200th anniversary of the extraordinary expedition that took the Corps of Discovery from ocean to ocean and back. Philadelphia's Academy of Natural Sciences hosted the production for several weeks along with the Lewis and Clark National Touring Exhibit. Providence Henry Muhlenberg is almost single-handidly responsible for establishing the Lutheran Church in America. This play captures the energy of this extraordinary man the contributions of this sons to the founding of America. Peter served as a general under George Washington and Frederick was the the first speaker of the house of the United States Congress. Flight, Music by James Scully, Lyrics by Elise Seyfried This full-length musical is based on the life of American icon Howard Hughes. Flight received the 1999 Stanley Drama Award which was presented by playwright Terrance McNally at the Lambs Club in NYC. The production received two staged readings in New York City. My Name is Lewes This is the story of the founding of Lewes, Delaware which began as a whaling port for the Dutch. It was written to celebrate the town's 375th anniversary. The play highlights the complicated relationships with the natives and the settlers. The Trail West The Oregon Trail is the focus of this informative and engaging play. The script is based on the diaries and journals of women who made the trip and features their unique, essential contribution to the westward movement. Stories for Historic Philadelphia, Inc. The Betsy Ross Stories, The Benedict Arnold Story, The Tippler’s Tour Written and performed at the Summer Story Benches in Philadelphia |