I am pleased to announce that I have completed a new historical drama – “Dear Mr. Whitefield.” (It’s pronounced “Whit-field.”)
Briefly, “Dear Mr. Whitefield” is a two-act play about the cantankerous, troubled preacher George Whitefield, who swept the Anglican establishment by storm in the 1740’s, preaching the dignity of man in a very status-conscious society, and his personal and professional resurrection at the hands of the patrician, determined Countess of Huntingdon. The play follows the Countess’s quest – sometimes touching, sometimes troubled, but always inspiring – to defy the prejudices of her day and lead a religious revolution… that is, if she can only stop Whitefield from running away from his past, from his demons, but most ultimately from himself.
At its heart, “Dear Mr. Whitefield” is a poetic drama about faith and courage – faith in God, but also faith in each other, no matter the price, and the courage of a man and a woman who, scarred as they might be, bravely and stoically confront the norms of their time. The play is witty, yet also poignant and touching, requiring only a simple, black box set and 8 actors (6 men, 2 women), with two wonderful, rich leading roles in the form of Whitefield and the Countess.
George Whitefield
Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon
In terms of inspiration, I was inspired to write “Dear Mr. Whitefield” because of my love of history and my own spirituality. I wanted to use the play to explore Christian teachings on faith and forgiveness and God’s relentless faith in us, despite our inadequacies, which are analogized in the relationship between the Countess and Whitefield himself, with the former acting in the role of a Christ and the latter acting in the role of mankind. While using “Dear Mr. Whitefield” as a microcosm for teaching Christian philosophy, I also wanted the play to be relevant to a diverse audience, regardless of religious affiliation, and have tried to achieve that by creating relatable characters whose challenges and goals touch on very modern themes – namely, the dignity of working people and the empowerment of women.
I’m looking forward to where this play may go from here… time to start submitting!
From left to right: Darin Kielke as Freytag, yours truly, Juan Monroy as Collini/Dorn, Sky Fuller as Mademoiselle Denis, Allison Folmar as Frau Schmidt, and Ken Dimmick as Voltaire
