CLAREMONT — This August will mark the first adult production at Amplified Arts through its newest theatre troupe, The Company.
“Agnes Of God.” will be performed on Aug. 10th at Amplified Arts venue in downtown Claremont.
“I don’t think I can overstate the importance of this production for AMP,” said Shelly Hudson, Producing Artistic Director at AMP and the director of the show.
“Not only is this the first of what we hope will grow into a creative outlet for adults 18 and over looking to engage in the creation of live theatre that goes beyond what is currently offered in the area. But it is also a much-anticipated reunion! With the exception of one, the entire cast and crew are made up of former theatre students of mine and I could not be more proud to collaborate with them again,” Hudson said.
“Agnes of God,” written by John Pie Meier is a Tony Award-winning psychological drama, which tells the story of Dr. Martha Livingstone, a court-appointed psychiatrist charged with assessing the sanity of a novice accused of murdering her newborn, which she gave birth to in a cloistered convent.
Miriam Ruth, the Mother Superior, determinedly keeps the young Agnes from the doctor, further arousing Livingstone’s suspicions. Who killed the infant and who fathered the tiny victim? Livingstone’s questions force all three women to re-examine the meaning of faith and the power of love, leading to a dramatic, compelling climax. The title of the play is a pun on the Latin phrase Agnus Dei (Lamb of God).
The play’s format is rigorous, with Dr. Martha Livingstone (played by local actress Lauren Bushway) never leaving the stage for the two-hour run of the show and calls for the actor to cover the full gamut of emotion from nurturer to antagonist, from hard-nosed court psychiatrist and atheist to faith-searching healer.
The emotional impact of Sister Agnes’s (played by new to the stage Kirstie Small) slip into madness is enthralling and disturbing while Mother Superior (played by local actress Brittany McElroy) expounds the possibilities of miracles, her distaste for the doctor and the methods for determining whether Agnes is mentally fit for trial, which is reflective of the relationship between religion and mental health science during the 1970’s.
“The all-female cast is just phenomenal and seeing this show on AMP immersive stage will be unlike any other production currently being produced in our region,” said Hudson
If you would like to support Amplified Arts, The Company, and its upcoming production of “Agnes Of God,” they will be hosting a Fashion Tea and Film Screening on July 21 at Amplified Arts.
The event ticket of $12 includes tea service, sweet treats and the screening of the Oscar-nominated film “Phantom Thread” on AMP’s new 4K projector and screen. This will mark the second film screening at the venue with more in the works. High-quality retro fashion from the 1950 to 1970 will also be available for purchase, all to support collaborative, immersive arts in Sullivan County.
To learn more about the upcoming production of Agnes of God and the Fashion Tea/Film Screening, visit www.amplifiedartsnh.com or reach out to [email protected] Amplified Arts is also on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin and Snapchat. –
As your daily newspaper, we are committed to providing you with important local news coverage for Sullivan County and the surrounding areas.