Dark of the Moon (play)

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Dark of the Moon is a dramatic stage play in the vein of Romeo and Juliet set in the Appalachian Mountains in the 1920s. The play centers around the character of John, a witch boy who seeks to become human after falling in love with a human girl, Barbara Allen. The controversial piece, written by William Berney and Howard Richardson, was first performed for a small audience at the University of Iowa in 1942.

Contents

[edit] Plot

In the first scene of the play, the witch boy (John) approaches the character of Conjur Man and tells him he will pay any amount and agree to any terms just so long as he can be turned into a human. It is only as a human that he can be with his mortal love, the beautiful copper-haired Barbara Allen. When Conjur Man denies his request, John turns to Conjur Woman. She agrees, as long as he will marry Barbara Allen. If Barbara is faithful to him for a year, then John will remain a human.

The witch boy is successfully transformed into a mortal and assumes the name John, and goes on to marry Barbara Allen and live happily thereafter — on the condition that Barbara is faithful to him for one whole year.

In true dramatic form, the rest of Barbara's clan doesn't much approve of John, or Barbara's newborn deformed witch baby. The townspeople of Buck Creek take it upon themselves to right Barbara's sin of cavorting with a witch, first by burning her child and then by raping her on the altar of the church. This act nullifies John's previous arrangement, and he must once again become a witch and live among his kind in the mountains.

[edit] Characters

Principles:

  • John: a witch boy-turned-human, in love with Barbara Allen
  • Barbara Allen: a beautiful, lusty mortal girl who falls in love with John

Supporting (in order of appearance):

  • Conjur Man
  • Dark Witch
  • Fair Witch
  • Conjur Woman
  • Miss Metcalf
  • Uncle Smelicue
  • Floyd Allen
  • Marvin Hudgens
  • Mrs. Allen
  • Mr. Allen
  • Preacher Haggler
  • Mr. Summey
  • Mrs. Summey
  • Atkins
  • Hank Gudger
  • Edna Summey
  • Burt
  • Mrs. Bergen
  • Ima Jean
  • Ella Bergen
  • Jenkins

[edit] Reaction to the Play

Dark of the Moon is a highly controversial piece, and is not recommended for young children. It has been both praised and slammed by critics. In the late 1990s, the town of Hopley Grove, Texas, launched a furious campaign to halt the production of Dark of the Moon at its local high school, citing protection of the underage against inappropriate and lewd material.

[edit] Additional Information

  • The play is written in an Appalachian dialect.
  • Although Dark of the Moon is not a musical, characters do sing songs in most productions.
  • The play is based loosely on the centuries old European folk song "The Ballad of Barbara Allen."
  • The play had a run on Broadway in the 1940s.
  • Paul Newman once played the role of John.
  • This was the first show ever put on by Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando, Florida.
  • The play was performed by pupils of Woodberry Down Comprehensive School, London, England, in Dec 1967
  • It was performed in 1968 by a theatre group of college students at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, New Jersey. There was no controversy.
  • It was performed during the 1968-69 season at the Wilton Playshop in Wilton, CT.
  • It was performed at Maine South High School, Park Ridge, IL in the Fall of 1974.
  • It was performed in Lander Wyoming at the city park during October of 1978. Some of the participants were friends of the late Bonnie Sherlock, and the play was in large part a tribute to her. Bonnie Sherlock is referenced in Margot Adler's "Drawing Down the Moon".
  • The play was performed in 1992 by students at Appleton West High School in Appleton, Wisconsin to some controversy amongst the local community.
  • It was performed at the Lodestar Theater in NYC on 9th Avenue in March, 2007.
  • The play is popular among high-school theater companies and was performed by the Wellesley High School Drama Society from Wellesley, Massachusetts, as part of the Massachusetts High School Drama Guild Festival in 2007. The production was chosen as one of three winners among ~100 entrants.
  • The play was performed at George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology through the Carver Theatre Company in late November 2007.
  • This play was performed at McNary High School Fall 2007, Keizer, OR.
  • The play was performed at the Little Theater of Mechanicsburg in Mechanicsburg, PA. It ran from Jan. 18 through Feb. 3.
  • The play will be performed by Walden Theatre, based in Louisville, Kentucky, in late February and early March of 2008.
  • The play will be performed by Challenge Early College High School, in Houston, TX in early 2008.
  • The play will be performed by the Washington Township High School Actors Studio class! dates soon to come..
  • The play will be performed at the Harlem Road Community Center by the Amherst Players in Buffalo New York from Feb 21st, 2008 to March 1st, 2008
  • The play was performed at the University of Evansville in April 2008.
  • This play was performed by North Shore High School (Glen Head, NY) in 1983
  • This play was performed by Burnaby Mountain Secondary School (Burnaby, BC) in April-May 2008
  • This play was performed by Cleveland High School (Portland OR) in October-November 2007
  • This play will be preformed by Ottumwa High School, in Ottumwa, Iowa in the fall of 2008.