In the spirit of Halloween, Playcrafters of Skippack has chosen the ethereally spirited “Dark of the Moon” as its fall season production, where witches, superstition, and young love mix into a cauldron of tragedy amid the rustic setting of the Appalachian Mountains. The play, written by Howard Richardson and William Berney in 1939, had a successful 10-month stint on Broadway prior to a national tour and has become a classically archived stage production. Heralded as a lost American treasure in the world of theater, both Paul Newman and Richard Hart have portrayed the male lead character.
Not exactly rendering an episode of the Beverly Hillbillies, except for the rural slang (i.e., God as “Gawd” and ask as “ast”), the story of Dark of the Moon reveals new love at is rawest as John (Scott McMaster) and Barbara (Kendal Conrad) meet one day in May on a mountaintop and are soon smitten with each other. Sounds like a typical adolescent crush among two teenagers, right? The only difference is that one of them is not human.
“It’s a tragic love story…” said director Lori Maxwell “…a fantasy that goes back and forth between witches and regular town folk.”
Richardson and Berney’s stage drama reflects the tale of a centuries old folk ballad (“The Ballad of Barbara Allen”) where a “witch” boy falls in love with a human. In a fierce longing to give up his endowed magical powers to become mortal after falling in love with his lady friend, he pleads to change his biological status. It is his wish to become human so as to be able to marry. His desires, however, are contingent on the condition they remain true to each other.
As happily-ever-after would have it, the couple marries and later Barbara gives birth to a child. But the rest of the story is hardly one that spells happiness. In fact, the spell that once kept them close is destined to change. And with it comes death and destruction.
Throughout the two-hour show, there is some rousing singing and dancing, and Conrad (who recently sung a duet with Keith Urban at a local music festival), takes her cues with the haunting folk ballad for which the play is modeled.
In a twisted ending somewhat reminiscent of the struggling love story of Romeo and Juliet, the strangely magical Smoky Mountain-set story settles amid the dust of frenzied superstition, religious struggles, and backward, thwarted thinking, and the Appalachian townsfolk return to their lives in their own world.
Supporting cast includes:Uncle Smelicue – PAT McGURK
Conjur Woman – LISA GAZZILLODark Witch – MICHELE NICOLAY
Edna Summey – JANENE GIBBONSElla – RENEE JOHNSON
Fair Witch – FLORENCE WYDRA-GAT
Floyd Allen – JARED PINKHAMGreeny – JAIDEN HERBETKO
Atkins – NIC HERBETKOHank Gudger – CHRISTIAN ROSE
Marvin Hudgens – SEAN COLLINSMiss Metcalf – DENNI HERBETKO
Mrs. Allen – MICHELLE QUIGLEYMr. Allen – ANDREW MAKSYMOWYCH
Conjur Man – JOE WELSHMrs. Summey – JEAN NAVARRA-GIBBONS
Mr. Summey – MARK GLICKSMANRev. Haggler – ERIC RUPP
Mr. Bergen – EVAN SHERWOODDirector: Lori Maxwel
Co-producers: Cathy Carroll and Courtney Katz
Board Advisor: Darren JohnsonCostumes: Diane Van Hekken
