Many have asked Why produce this play again? A good question since those who know me (Deedee) know that I do not like to produce any play more than once, because there are so many I want to do and that we have not yet gotten to. Well, this is actually the 3rd time in our near 12-year history that we will have produced Screwtape.
Our first outing was with our high school theatre class in 2006, and again in 2010 with an all-adult cast.
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| "Screwtape" 2006 with our High-School Class |
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| "Screwtape" 2010 with our Adult Cast |
The main reason we are bringing it back is that it has been one of our top three most successful over the years and it appeals to a wider range of audience that most plays do. Screwtape deals with a serious subject in a comedic way, and tackles that subject in a way that people from all walks of life have an interest, or at least a fascination, with: the spirit world. Of course, it's greatest appeal, is that it was written by CS Lewis, whose many works have that same broad appeal.
His book, The Screwtape Letters, on which the play is adapted, has had great success for over 60 years, most likely due to its piercing insight into human nature and the lucid and humorous way Lewis makes his readers squirm in self recognition. When first published in 1942 it brought immediate fame to this little-known Oxford don, including the cover of Time Magazine.
Due to the subject matter, many parents may not want young children to see it, yet my son saw it for the first time at the age of 6, (and was at so many rehearsals he could quote most of the lines) and it has prompted many wonderful discussions about the spirit world, good/evil, etc, so please, do not hesitate to bring them -- and prepare to have brilliant dialogue with them after the performance!
