Shattered Globe Theatre to present Midwest premiere of Becky Nurse of Salem
Jul 27, 2024
The Midwest premiere of Becky Nurse of Salem, a new dark comedy by Sarah Ruhl, directed by Polly Noonan, promises to bewitch Chicago audiences as the opening production of Shattered Globe Theatre's 34th season.
With Becky Nurse of Salem, Ruhl, a Chicago native, now one of America's top contemporary playwrights, has conjured up a darkly comic exploration of the Salem witch trials' legacy. Noonan, the director, is Ruhl's creative muse and frequent collaborator.
Becky Nurse of Salem presented by Shattered Globe Theatre
Meet Becky Nurse, an outspoken, quick-witted tour guide at the Salem Museum of Witchcraft, where she's straining to navigate life in post-Obama America. As a descendant of Rebecca Nurse, who was executed for witchcraft in 1692, Becky questions whether things have truly changed for women. As her struggles grow, she turns to a local witch for help. One spell leads to another, spiraling Becky's life into chaos. In today's "lock her up" era, this darkly comic play delves into a woman grappling with her family's past while finding her own voice."How lucky that Shattered Globe can collaborate again with Chicago's own Sarah Ruhl to introduce one of her newest plays to her hometown audience," said Sandy Shinner, Executive Artistic Director, Shattered Globe Theatre. "Chicago has embraced Sarah's work since her early productions at Piven Theater Workshop and her first Chicago premieres of The Clean House (Goodman, 2006 ) and Eurydice (Victory Gardens, 2008). Her plays are always a gift for both artists to explore and audiences to experience. I am thrilled to continue our long artistic relationship by producing the Midwest premiere of Becky Nurse of Salem."
Gaze into any crystal ball and it's clear, Shattered Globe's Becky Nurse of Salem is sure to cast a spell on Chicago audiences during the fall theater season. Previews start date October 4. Press opening is Thursday, October 10 at 7:30 p.m. Becky Nurse of Salem runs through November 16 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont, in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood.