"The Hand That Holds the Quill" by Cindy Rock Dlugolecki of Mechanicsburg will premier to the public on Thursday, Friday and Sunday, Sept. 16, 17 and 19, at the Capital BlueCross Theatre at Central Penn College, 600 Valley Road, Summerdale. The play was inspired by Jacob Shallus, who in 1787 became the scribe for the original copy of the U.S. Constitution and who is Dlugolecki's first cousin six times removed.
The premier performances will coincide with the 234th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787. At the conclusion of each performance, attendees will have the opportunity to register to vote, talk with a constitutional scholar or mingle with the playwright, composer and cast.
The premier weekend of the play will be dedicated to the memory of Arthur Plotnik, whose biography of Shallus, "The Man Behind the Quill," was an important source for the play. Plotnik died in 2020.
Partnering with Dlugolecki is an all-female, all-local production team, including producer Janet Bixler, director Chris Krahulec, stage manager Carol McDonough, music director Ellen Carnahan and composer Chris Purcell. The play includes an eclectic range of compositions by Purcell, Dlugolecki's longtime musical partner.
While Shallus is the play's inspiration, "The Hand That Holds the Quill" focuses on the women connected to him and their role and influence during the time that he penned the Constitution. The play also recognizes the wives of delegates who framed the Constitution and African Americans of the AME Church who were advocating for the abolition of slavery and literacy for the black community.
Dlugolecki's credits include 17 plays of various lengths, mostly produced in central Pennsylvania theaters. Her works have earned national recognition. She holds a master's degree in creative writing from Wilkes University.
Tickets may be purchased at https://givebutter.com/Quill.
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