A dramatization of the Mueller Report by citizen actors of Kent County. At the Bookplate Fri day, Sept 6 @ 8:00 pm & Sunday, Sept 8 at 4:00 pm
Come on down to the backroom in Tom Martin’s Bookplate at 112 South Queen Street in Chestertown for a dramatization of The Mueller Report. This weekend only. This special staged reading lasts just over an hour. It’s not only interesting, informative and enlightening; it’s also very entertaining!
The Investigation: A Crime in Ten Acts is a play based on the Mueller Report on the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. It was written by Robert Schenkkan, well-known Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning screenwriter and playwright. The play consists almost entirely of excerpts drawn from the report that, when woven together, tell the story of “ten possible acts of Obstruction of Justice.” The official final Mueller Report is 448 pages long. This version pulls out the most telling and important parts, paring it down to less than 75 all very readable pages full of the actual reported dialogue and actions of the principal participants.
And now The Investigation is coming to Chestertown for a staged reading at the Bookplate, this Friday and Sunday only. Friday’s reading is at 8:00 pm, a perfect ending for another lovely First Friday in downtown Chestertown. Sunday’s performance is at 4:00 pm.
The world premiere of The Investigation was performed at the Riverside Church in New York City on June 24, 2019. The cast included an impressive array of talent, including Kevin Kline, John Lithgow, Jason Alexander who played George in Seinfeld, Gina Gershon, Wilson Cruz, Joel Grey of Cabaret fame, Alyssa Milano, Kyra Sedgwick, Alfre Woodard, Piper Perabo, Zachary Quinto, Sigourney Weaver, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Mark Hamill from Star Wars, and many others. The actors all stood behind flag-draped podiums.
The world premiere of “The Investigation: A Crime in Ten Acts” at the Riverside Church in New York City on June 24, 2019.
The Chestertown lineup is likewise star-studded with local luminaries from both the civic and theatrical scenes. While the premiere may have had John Lithgow as Trump, we’ve got Jim Landskroener. Can you imagine the wig? And as Bill Moyer, you’ll see Wayne Gilchrist, long-time representative to the US House of Representatives and currently the director of the Sassafras Environmental Education Center at Turner’s Creek. I myself can’t wait to see Jen Friedman as Sarah Huckabee Sanders! Not wanting to reveal all the surprises, I won’t say who Melissa McGlynn is playing. But a clue – it’s not Melania. In fact, I’m not sure whether or not Melania is in it. You’ll have to come and see who’s playing Mueller, Comey, Barr, Flynn and the rest of the gang.
This production of The Investigation is directed by Robert Earl Price, who himself has written a number of plays and television episodes, produced both locally and nationally. Locally, he is perhaps best known for the musical Red Devil Moon written in collaboration with Pam Ortiz who too is in the dramatization of the Mueller Report. Price is also a noted poet and teaches at Washington College. Among those taking the stage or helping out backstage are Jim Dissette, Philip Dutton, Jan Eliassen, Jan Elvin, Jamie Hurley, Diane Landskroener, Heather Mizeur, Bob Ortiz, Stan Salett, Neyah White, and more. Leslie Prince Raimond along with John Schratwieser of the Kent County Arts Council helped to organize and sponsor the event.
“The Investigation” AKA the Mueller Report rehearsal in the backroom at the Bookplate. Performances Fri Sept. 6 at 8 pm & Sun Sept 6 at 4:00 pm
It’s free but the bookstore staff needs an idea of how many to expect for setting up chairs and to make sure there are enough munchies. (That last is a really important factor though you probably will be already filled up from the goodies at The Gallery, RiverArts, and the other First Friday hotspots.) The backroom at the Bookplate can hold something close to a hundred people. While you can just show up and take your chances of getting a seat, it’s best to RSVP and have a reservation. So click here on the EventBrite ticket and event website to let Tom and the staff know you’re planning to come.
You can watch the full-length premiere of the June 24, 2019, Riverside Church, New York City production here. The script for The Investigation: A Crime in Ten Acts is available royalty-free to all groups including community theaters, schools, and clubs. The author and others involved in the original project hope that many organizations will take advantage of this opportunity and produce multiple performances of The Investigation to both inform and entertain the populace during these troublesome times.
Getting ready for “The Investigation” Mueller Report in the backroom at the Bookplate. Fri & Sun Sept 6 & 8, 2019
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