An upcoming play at the Wendell Meetinghouse offers a microcosm of the cultural, political and social divide that plagues this nation.
“Swamped,” the new four-person play written and directed by resident Court Dorsey, centers around the relationship between The Captain, a widowed and grouchy Vietnam War veteran, and Clove, his transgender personal care assistant.
“I’m hoping that people in this really divided time see in this play a path forward,” Dorsey said.
The show runs Thursdays through Sundays from Oct. 16 to 26, with 7:30 p.m. shows each day except for Oct. 19 and 26, when the performance starts at 2 p.m. Visit tinyurl.com/CourtDorsey for advance tickets.
Dorsey explained he became concerned during the Biden administration that leftists were “riding high” even though people in certain parts of the country felt left behind.
“I was afraid that if we didn’t all take steps together that we would end up with further divisions,” he told the Greenfield Recorder, “and I wanted to try to have a compassionate look at both sides of this divide. Through the relationship between Captain and Clove we have an image of reconciliation … that can actually heal what’s going on.”
The Captain is played by Joe Laur, and Clove is played by Izzy Miller. Steve Eldredge plays The Captain’s dead war buddy’s son and Heather Willey has been cast as that man’s partner.
“Despite the age [difference] and the background and the outlook on the world being very different, there’s an authenticity that connects Clove and The Captain,” Laur said. “I like to say I’m ‘Captain-adjacent.’ I know this guy. This guy’s my dad, my uncles, guys who were just a few years older than me that served in Vietnam. And I have a sort of similar gruff, no-bullshit character [to] The Captain.”
“Swamped” marks Laur’s return to the stage after a 50-year absence. He studied acting and directing at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and worked with The Milwaukee Repertory Theater, appearing in “The Collection,” “Androcles and the Lion” and “Richard II.” He has spent decades leading men’s workshops and consulting with organizations.
Like Clove, Miller is 20 years old and transgender. She learned about the role through someone involved with a Greenfield Community College production she was costuming.
“I think I’ve come to appreciate Clove as a very passionate individual — she’s passionate about her work, she’s passionate about people,” she said. “And I think that that drive is really what we see the most of throughout the play and where it goes and under what circumstances it presents itself has different consequences.”
It took a year and a half to cast Miller, who works at Swanson’s Fabrics in Turners Falls, because the cisgender actors who had considered the role felt they weren’t authentic enough.
“But this relationship between our characters is very much like the relationships I have with older folks in my immediate community,” Miller said. “And I’m not very dissimilar to the character that I’m playing, so it feels very authentic.”
Dorsey said it took him a month to write the play once he had conceived of the idea.
“It feels like it wrote itself, actually,” he said. “It came so quickly.”
Serious rehearsals started in late August. Though the play does not specify a location or timeline, the cast has decided the play takes place in New Bedford in September and October 2024.
“Swamped” is the first play staged at the Wendell Meetinghouse. There was previously a children’s guest theater performance, but it was held on the floor and had no lights or sound.
Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door Fridays through Sundays. There is a Thursday night special of $15 tickets in advance and $20 at the door, while they last. The Wendell Meetinghouse participates in the MA Card to Culture program with tickets at $10 for eligible audience members.
There will also be a dinner theater event, catered by Diemand Farm, to mark “No Kings Day” at Wendell Town Hall at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 18. People are invited to debrief on “No Kings Day,” enjoy a meal, and cross Wendell Common to see the play.
