David Payne’s acting career began almost as a lark. An audition for a small part in a play led to his being cast in a much more major role. Later on, he wrote a play of his own — a solo show about the life of C.S. Lewis, the famously faithful author of the “Narnia” fantasy…
Author: Theater Mirror
Director Livy Scanlon on how ‘Doubt’ Weighs Cynicism Against Faith
More than two decades ago, the sexual abuse scandal that rocked the Catholic church exploded into headlines by way of articles published by The Boston Globe. The allegations were beyond shocking, with people coming forward to share stories of abuse at the hands of priests their families had seen as the virtual personification of God….
Director Courtney O’Connor says ‘Our Town’ Looks at the Darkness Underneath Things
By Kilian Melloy The good people of Grover’s Corner seem like American archetypes. They’re our neighbors, our local merchants and civil servants, our family members; they are us. Thornton Wilder’s 1938 play Our Town celebrates small-town America even as it mythologizes an ideal of family and community. Set in the early years of the 20th…
New Speakeasy Artistic Director Dawn M. Simmons Brings Unique Insight to the Role
By Killian Melloy “But that’s another story.” It’s a line of dialogue Kenneth, the main character and narrator of “Primary Trust,” uses often. Kenneth has been through a lot, and he touches on painful memories only glancingly, leaving it to the audience to try to imagine what he’s not saying. One of only a few…



