I recently shared some tidbits about my new Christmas drama, The Return of Ben Morgenstern, and today I get to share a little more!

Our premiere performance is less than a month away (December 8), and rehearsals are getting lively. Piece by piece, the set is going up, we’ve got costumes in the making, and our actors are hard at work rehearsing several hours every week. Here’s a short video montage from a recent rehearsal, which we posted on our Facebook page.

From what I wrote two weeks ago, you know something about the play’s theme, so today I’ll share a few other details. For starters, here’s our flyer announcing the performance, which gives you a peek into the play’s setting.

Yep. Part of this drama takes place onboard a ship (because we have mind-blowing set guys who can actually construct our stage to look like a ship). And as you can see from the flyer design, this is not a modern ship. The play is set in the 1870s, and the scenes alternate between the port town of Charleston, South Carolina, and this ship traveling across the Atlantic.

I won’t give too much of the plot away, but from the setting and the title you know it has something to do with a journey—a return—of someone named Ben Morgenstern. But is he the hero, the mentor, the villain? Where has he been, and why is he returning?

And that’s all I can say! (I know, it’s not much.) You’ll just have to stay tuned for more updates and videos….and eventually you can watch the play itself!

One more note before I close: a question I’m often asked when I introduce myself as a playwright is, “Do you ever perform in your own plays?” The answer is a resounding yes! I’ve not performed in every play I’ve ever written, but in the majority I have. This year I’m acting the part of a young woman named Hazel Ashworth, who has a…unique personality and past. (Yep, that’s all you’re getting.) I’m thoroughly enjoying the role, and I always feel so grateful to be involved in performances of my own plays! It’s a rewarding experience.

If you’re interested in attending The Return of Ben Morgenstern, we’ll be performing at the Wesleyan Church at 301 South Broadway in Salem, Illinois, and here are the performance dates:

Sunday, December 8, at 4:00pm

Tuesday, December 10, at 6:30pm

Wednesday, December 11, at 6:30pm

We’ll also livestream the performances on the Kittywham Productions Facebook page. I hope you can attend or watch from afar!