EXPLORE
THE STORY OF THE PLAY
Set in contemporary Salem, Massachusetts, the famed site of the 17th century witch trials, BECKY NURSE OF SALEM tells the story of Becky, a modern day descendant of accused witch Rebecca Nurse. Becky is someone who cannot help but tell the truth, and sometimes it gets her in trouble.
As the play begins, she’s fired from her job as a tour guide at the local witch museum. As an older woman, Becky struggles to find new work, causing a financial strain in an already difficult moment: she’s mourning the death of her daughter, caring for her sick grandchild, and medicating her own chronic pain. Becky is sad, stressed out, and angry, and she has a lot of bills to pay.
Out of conventional options to get the help she needs, Becky seeks guidance from a local witch, who tells her she carries an ancestral curse. When Becky buys some spells with a loan from her old friend Bob, it seems like her luck is finally changing. Unfortunately, Becky has a habit of taking action in moments of anger. When she’s caught stealing the wax statue of Rebecca Nurse from her former place of work, she’s thrown in jail.
Locked up, and in withdrawal from her medication, she’s forced to reckon with her past, her present, and a legacy defined by institutionalized misogyny. BECKY NURSE OF SALEM is a modern woman’s pilgrim’s journey to redemption and love.
ALL SHOW PHOTOS BY KYLE FROMAN
WHO’S PLAYING WHAT
Played by
TINA BENKO
Shelby
Becky’s boss. She is the Director of the Witch Museum. Has had academic training. A bit smug and superior. A formidable adversary.
Played by
CANDY BUCKLEY
The Witch
Can see the invisible world. Also, she needs money. An unusual creature. Exists on a different metaphysical plane, yet also in the pragmatic world of business transactions.
Played by
ALICIA CROWDER
Gail
Late-teens. Becky’s granddaughter. Smart, wounded, and emotional. Has been through a lot.
Played by
DEIRDRE O'CONNELL
Becky Nurse
Our heroine, from Salem, Mass. Salty. Strong. Fierce. Smart. Wounded. Funny. Impulsive. Speaks her mind even if it gets her into trouble, which it often does. Doesn’t care about propriety. A tour guide at a witch museum, she has always struggled to make ends meet.
Played by
THOMAS JAY RYAN
The Judge / Jailer
Also plays a Policeman, a Magistrate, and others. Plays many voices of male authority, both contemporary and historical. Can shift from a regular cop on the beat to an authoritarian judge from the 17th century in the blink of an eye.
Played by
JULIAN SANCHEZ
Stan
Late-teens. A visual artist. A little eccentric. Maybe a bit of a goth. He has a wounded past. Might seem a little alternative. Unexpectedly practical.
Played by
BERNARD WHITE
Bob
A bartender from Salem, Mass, and the man Becky loves. A regular guy. Kind. Smart. An autodidact. Loves reading history and biographies. He and Becky have known each other since high school.
WATCH BECKY NURSE OF SALEM ON STAGE
The video of the performance will be available for a limited time only
Not part of LCT's program but want to connect your students to BECKY NURSE OF SALEM? Please contact education@lct.org for more info.