The Valley Players will present the world premiere of Wake Up, Gloucester, by Roxbury resident Jeanne Beckwith, February 7-16 at the Valley Players Theater, 4254 Main Street (Rt. 100), Waitsfield. This fully-staged reading (while reading scripts, actors appear in costume with full staging and a complete set) will be directed by Doug Bergstein (Waitsfield).

Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 7 pm and Sundays at 2 pm.

Tickets are $14 for all shows and are available in advance from http://valleyplayers.com.

The story takes place in late August 1939, and deals with the lives, hopes, loves, and fears of a group of people who come together at The Dancing Duck, a tavern in Gloucester, Massachusetts. The depression is ending, but dreams that have been on hold still seem beyond reach. Life is not simple. Rumors of a war abroad are coming closer to home every day. The owner of the tavern is starting up a new radio station attached to the tavern. His friends, who are also his employees and customers, are supportive, but the future still seems cloudy, and there just might be a sea serpent off the coast.

"There is nothing like creating a new production," Bergstein said. "We get to take the playwright's words and create a world with a group of people that has never been seen by anyone before."

And in the words of cast member Stephanie Seng, "This is a timely piece about about antisemitism, leaders breaking agreements and treaties, and an America where it's unclear who to trust and who to be afraid of."

Event Info

Feb 8, 2025, 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM

Feb 12, 2025, 7 PM

Feb 13, 2025, 6 to 8 PM