Witch

Music and Lyrics by Matt Conner
Book and Lyrics by Stephen Gregory Smith
From the dawn of time, women have been demonized, feared and objectified whenever their power challenged the traditional order.   Weaving a thread from the Salem Witch trials through the zeitgeist of the #MeToo movement and modern day politics, this world premiere musical examines the complex and compelling stories of women who’ve been labeled as witches throughout the centuries.
x

A multi-ethnic group of women of all ages appears in the darkness, dressed in black hats and cloaks, and begins to cast a circle of protection over their gathering space. As they sing, they tell the stories of women who were admired and feared for their power and were given the name “Witch.” The lights change and we see that they are at a women’s march, performing an act of protest theater to inform and warn the women of today.
Maggie is the leader and organizer of the show, a divorced woman in her mid-forties, and recently laid off from her job at a high-powered law firm. She has brought her mother and her friends, along with their daughters, to this stage in Washington D.C. near her old law office. They try to use songs and puppet shows to illustrate the lives of these historical witches, but are met with hostility and heckling from counter-protesters at the march.
Mary, Fiona, and Marie, three teenage friends and the daughters of the adult members of the group, defy the counter-protesters with the story of Mary Webster, a woman who was falsely accused of witchcraft but even after being hung from a tree all night was still alive.
Molly, a twenty-something adoptive mother, sings the legend of Moll Dyer, an herbal healer from the late 1600s who was run out of town by superstitious villagers and, legend has it, froze to death against a rock which still bears an imprint of her hand.
The adult women perform a skit about the concept of “glamour,” which originally meant “a spell or enchantment” but has come to mean “beauty.” The teenagers are inspired by the protest atmosphere and decide to write their own song about what it means to be “Pretty.”
Maggie then tells the story of a single mother and teacher who went to Hollywood to make a living but found herself eternally branded as a wicked witch: Margaret Hamilton. We learn that she was fired from her job by a powerful male boss, which is now putting a strain on her relationship with her mother who has recently moved in to Maggie’s home.
Destiny, an African-American woman, rallies the witches with a rousing song encouraging everyone to get out their brooms and make a change in Congress by voting in the the next election to “Sweep Them Out.”
Molly returns to present the tale of Joan of Arc as a woman subjected to questioning in the worst game show of all time. Becky, Maggie’s mother, sings the words of Rebecca Nurse as she defended herself in the Salem witch trials. Destiny tells the story of the thousands of women who are still being accused of witchcraft in countries around the globe to this very day.
Maggie has arranged to surprise her mother with a Croning ceremony, a celebration of becoming a wise older woman, but counter-protesters threaten to derail the ceremony. Becky is at first reluctant but agrees to sing The Crone’s Song as a way to help the women find community and encourage them to keep telling the stories of the past. Maggie closes the circle of protection and leads the women out to perform at their next location.



One Act

70 minutes
PG-13
Cast/Characters
7 Females

BECKY WALKER​ (Mid to late 60s - Mezzo/Belt with Head voice up to D5)
DESTINY AMAECHI​ (40s, African-American - Mezzo down to F3) -
FIONA HUGHES​ (Teenager - Young voice)
MAGGIE WALKER​ (40s - Soprano to G5)
MARIE AMAECHI​ (Teenager, African-American - Young voice)- MARY WALKER​ (Teenager - Young voice)
MOLLY HUGHES​ (20s-30s - Meezzo/Belt to CE) -

Original Band: Piano, Violin, Guitar, Drums

 

REVIEWS

"Witch has a terrific cast"   Washington Post

"A new, truly engaging, topical musical.  The songs resonate to the soul."  DC Theatre Scene

"Works like this are essential in sparking conversations necessary for our society's advancement."   Broadway World

​
"An evening of memorable music, great acting, and moments of laugh-out loud hilarity."  Maryland Theatre Guide


"Some of the best musical performances I've seen at Creative Cauldron (and that says a lot!) by these gifted ladies:  Iyona Blake, Florence Lacey, Catherine Purcell and Susan Derry."
 
The Zebra