About the Play
Scarlet Letters is a one-woman exploration of the Hawthorne novel, written and directed by Patrick Ross with original music by Kimaya Diggs.
Hester Prynne is scorned for her adultery with the bright red A she wears on her breast. Scarlet Letters examines the rest of the alphabet, and the catalogue of offenses for which women are publicly shamed. B is for bossy. S is for shrill. C is for... well, you know. Philadelphia actress Michaela Shuchman lends her dynamism to this one-hour solo performance about the ignominy of today.
With your help, Scarlet Letters will premiere with ten performances at the 2016 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, from August 8 to 16, in the Library at the Arthur Conan Doyle Centre. We will then continue to the Philadelphia Fringe Festival in September, in the Harding Room at Christ Church Neighborhood House (specific dates to be announced).
We have workshopped Scarlet Letters as part of the Director's Gathering Gym series, and the script remains in development as we rehearse throughout the spring and summer.
A word about the songs: as creative partners, Patrick Ross and Kimaya Diggs believe that music is critical to innovative retellings of familiar stories. Rhythm, the root of human ritual, drives narrative; tempo manipulates pace. We interweave songs—distillations of narrative moments— to deepen the sensory landscape of our plays, and to bring to new meaning to old stories as we recast and rewrite them.
About Us
Patrick Ross (Playwright & Director) is a storyteller for stage and page based in Philadelphia, PA, where he is the Development Associate at Lantern Theater Company. He writes a weekly Shakespearean-style history-play-in-progress about the 2016 presidential election called HILLARY THE FIRST, available online at hillarythefirst.tumblr.com. Most recently, he has directed for the Philadelphia Young Playwrights Middle School Monologue Festival, and this summer will be assistant directing TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA for Shakespeare in Clark Park. He studied playwriting and directing at Swarthmore College. www.patrickross.net.
Kimaya Diggs (Composer) is a writer and musician based in Western Massachusetts. While classically trained in piano, cello, and voice, she spends most of her time singing jazz or traveling the globe teaching world music. Her musical happenings can be found on Soundcloud and Youtube, or you can contact her at kimaya.diggs@gmail.com.
Michaela Shuchman (Performer) is an actor, creator, and teaching artist based in Philadelphia, where she was born and raised. She recently closed a run as Molly in PETER AND THE STARCATCHER at Walnut Street Theatre, as well as touring her solo performance piece, LONELINESS AT THE FOUL LINE, to Philadelphia-area middle schools. Michaela is finishing her senior year at Swarthmore College, where she studied acting and education. www.michaelashuchman.com.
Madeline Charne (Dramaturg) is a teaching artist, dramaturg, and stage manager originally from New York City. After studying theater and English literature at Swarthmore College, she moved to Philadelphia to complete a Grant Writing Apprenticeship at Walnut Street Theatre. Madeline has since worked with several companies in Philadelphia, including the Wilma Theater, ReVamp Collective, Luna Theater Company, and George and Co. She is currently working as a Teaching Artist Apprentice for Philadelphia Young Playwrights, the Development Assistant at 1812 Productions, and as the Project and Development Coordinator at The Naked Stark. You can reach her at mbcharne@gmail.com.
Our Goals
Our fundraising goal covers all expenses to mount the production at both the Edinburgh and Philadelphia Fringe Festivals, including the costs of production, festival registration fees, venue rental in both locations, publicity and marketing, artist visas, travel, and lodging.
We thank you for considering to support our project, and for your support of the arts and storytelling at large.
