2022 Season Events
“Thunder Mountain,” a new radio play by Sandra Fenichel Asher, with music by Brenda C. Kayne.
A dragon has stolen the sun, throwing the village into darkness, and Joanna’s father has fallen ill from hunger and cold. When Joanna sets off alone to climb the mountain and face the dragon, she finds unexpected help along the way and a surprising conclusion to her journey.
Performances: October 8, 9 and October 15, 16, Saturday at 7pm; Sunday at 3pm. A special performance on October 11 at 6 PM will broadcast live from the theater on WIOX 91.3 FM radio.
Maya Raffaele as YOUNGER JOANNA
Darlene DeMaille as OLDER JOANNA
Lisa Ruth Mays as THE DRAGON
L to R: Roman Pietrs as ADVENTURER, Maya Raffaele as YOUNGER JOANNA
L to R: Sunny Pietrs as THOMAS, Roman Pietrs as FRIEND
L to R: Maya Raffaele as YOUNGER JOANNA, Roman Pietrs as ADVENTURER, John Exter as JOANNA'S ILL FATHER
Ron Brockway as ADVENTURER
L to R: John Exter as JOANNA'S ILL FATHER, Lisa Ruth Mays as THE DRAGON, Maya Raffaele as YOUNGER JOANNA, Darlene DeMaille as OLDER JOANNA
L to R: Maya Raffaele as YOUNGER JOANNA, Lisa Ruth Mays as THE DRAGON
The Cast. L to R: Darlene DeMaille, Betty McCaffrey, Lisa Ruth Mays, Maya Raffaele, John Exter, Sunny Pietrs, Roman Pietrs, Ron Brockway
Sandra Fenichel Asher, Playwright
Brenda C. Kayne, Composer
L to R: David Hill as GREG, Patricia Van Tassel as SYLVIA
L to R: Patricia Van Tassel as SYLVIA, David Hill as GREG
L to R: Patricia Van Tassel as SYLVIA, David Hill as GREG
L to R: David Hill as GREG, Elizabeth Sherr as LESLIE
L to R: David Hill as GREG, Ward Stevenson as TOM
L to R: Patricia Van Tassel as SYLVIA, David Hill as GREG, Ward Stevenson as TOM. September 19, 2022 performance.
L to R: Lisa Ruth Mays as KATE, Patricia Van Tassel as SYLVIA, David Hill as GREG. September 19, 2022 performance.
L to R: David Hill as GREG, Ward Stevenson as TOM. September 19, 2022 performance.
L to R: Lisa Ruth Mays as KATE, David Hill as GREG, Patricia Van Tassel as SYLVIA. September 19, 2022 performance.
"The Greatest Card Trick" by Hugh MacKay. L to R: Patricia Brannen, Roy F. Moses
"The Greatest Card Trick" by Hugh MacKay. L to R: Patricia Brannen, Roy F. Moses
"The Back Porch Gang" by Ben Scranton. L to R: Alice Zigelis, Darlene DeMaille, Kathy Taylor, Ron Brockway
"A Life Enriching Community" by Philip Middleton Williams. L to R: Elizabeth Sherr, Ward Stevenson
"Scars" by Pamela Kingsley. L to R: Alice Zigelis, Patricia Brannen, Darlene DeMaille, Kathy Taylor
"Canyon's Edge" by Barbara Lindsay. L to R: Pip Merrick, Ward Stevenson, Kathy Taylor
"Home" by Scott Mullen. L to R: Alice Zigelis, Kathy Taylor
"More Pasta" by Leon Kaye. L to R: Amie Brockway, Erwin Karl
"Weaving a Tapestry" by Enid Cokonos. L to R: Elizabeth Sherr, Darlene DeMaille
The First Ladies Coalition. August 27, 2022 at 4PM
Created & Performed by Ginger Grace
Directed by Austin Pendleton
Colleen, a resilient ex-con, immigrant and survivor of domestic violence, invites the audience to join four famous First Ladies as they step into her sewing shop! Via subtle impersonations, she transports us into the life and times of Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Kennedy, Lady Bird Johnson and Mary Todd Lincoln. Mysteries and secrets are unveiled – hers & theirs – and with the help of these courageous women, Colleen turns a life of confinement into extraordinary possibility.
In 90 minutes, through the eyes of Colleen, we encapsulate the history of our country and the invaluable impact of these four First Ladies as they spoke out and changed the course of events, at times when women’s voices were often suppressed. They are our forerunners – paving the way for our current wave of women in politics, the #MeToo Movement and social justice.
For full info on the show, and a short video: http://www.firstladiescoalition.com/
Images of the First Ladies Courtesy of the Smithsonian
Living History Cemetery Tour at Margaretville Cemetery.
June 18, 2022.
The Open Eye Theater supported the work of the Historical Society of Middletown with playwrights, directors, actors, and costumes for their annual Cemetery Tour—an on-site reenactment story performance of eight individuals who had lived in the area during the past 200 or so years and were buried in Margaretville Cemetery. One performance was held at The Open Eye Theater, making it possible for audience members with mobility issues to attend. Marge Helenchild and Michelle Macau directed the production. Scriptwriters included Sue DeBruin, Diane Galusha, Terry Bradshaw, John Jacobson, Holly O’Connor, Erwin Karl, Anne Saxon-Hersh and Mary Barile.
The Open Eye Theater is a Restart NY Grantee
Young at-large players, c. 1910
Darlene DeMaille with audience
Rod Sauquillo serves strawberries to the audience
Holly O'Connor, portraying her great grandmother ETTA MANN EASMAN WELSH
Agnes Laub as THANKFUL LEWIS GRANT
Barbara O'Sullivan, docent, who welcomed the Open Eye audience
Darlene DeMaille as ANNA EVANS SWAYZE
Gary Falk as JAMES KNOX POLK JACKSON, left, and Steve McQuide as CLARKE ALAIRE SANFORD, portray competing newspaper owners
John Bernhardt as REED DELAMETER
Rod Sauquillo as PASCO DILELLO
Ward Stevenson as Game Warden JOSEPH DESILVA
#ENOUGH: Plays to End Gun Violence
April 20, 2022
Eight Winning Plays By Emerging Teen Writers About Ending Gun Violence Premiered In Ambitious Nationwide Reading on April 20, 2022
The Open Eye Theater of Margaretville NY joined 58 other theater communities in 29 states around the United States in a national play reading event: #ENOUGH: Plays to End Gun Violence. The readings took place on April 20, 2022, the 23rd Anniversary of the Columbine High School Shooting. Twelve students and one teacher were murdered that day. Following the readings, a discussion about the plays and the issues surrounding gun violence in our Catskill Mountain community were facilitated by Arnie Schwartz of WIOX Board of Directors, Chair of the Margaretville Hospital Board of Directors and Founding member of the Catskill Addiction Coalition, Joyce St. George, and Dr. Simon Purdy, Professor of Criminal Justice at SUNY Delhi.
The Open Eye Theater is a Restart NY Grantee
