Philadelphia’s Quintessence Theatre opens its 17th season with the regional premiere of ‘Witch,’ a sharp and inventive retelling of the classic Jacobean tragicomedy that questions whose soul is worth saving when the devil comes to town.
In “Witch,” a charming devil arrives in the quiet village of Edmonton to bargain for souls in exchange for residents’ darkest wishes. Elizabeth Sawyer should be his easiest target, having been labeled a witch and cast out by the town, but her soul is not so readily bought. As the devil tempts her and her neighbors, unexpected passions flare, alliances form and the village is forever changed.
Directed by Maura Krause, the play is a modern adaptation by award-winning playwright Jen Silverman. It is based on the 17th-century English play “The Witch of Edmonton” by John Ford, Thomas Dekker and William Rowley which was inspired by the real-life 1621 execution of Elizabeth Sawyer. Silverman’s adaptation maintains the original’s radical spirit while reimagining the tragedy as a distinctly contemporary exploration of power and exclusion.
“The act of writing a new play inspired by a classic is one of the most aggressive and exciting ways to explore an old story in a new way, and Jen Silverman’s brilliant and biting comedy reimagines and riffs on one of the great Jacobean tragicomedies in a timeless and necessary way for today,” said Alex Burns, Artistic Director of Quintessence. “Since its premiere at Chicago’s Writers Theatre in 2019, Quintessence has been offering to sell its soul to bring this new classic to Philadelphia. Our patience has paid off, and there couldn’t be a better team than the one helmed by Mara Krause and an ensemble of powerhouse actors led by Suli Holum to cast Witch’s spell on Philadelphia.”
“I am thrilled to be returning to Philadelphia to direct ‘Witch’ at Quintessence,” shared Krause. “I couldn’t imagine a better production to bring me back to this city’s amazing theatre community. I’ve loved Jen Silverman’s work since 2010, when I was an artistic intern at Woolly Mammoth reading their MFA thesis script. ‘Witch’ mingles snappy humor and poignant humanity with all of Jen’s trademark brilliance. The play’s piercing examination of how social systems and rigid assumptions shape everyone’s lives, even as we crave genuine connection, will never stop being relevant. ‘Witch’ asks many questions but offers no simple answers, and I look forward to sharing that heartfelt ambiguity with Quintessence’s lovely and thoughtful audiences.”
‘Witch’ runs Sept. 30 through Oct. 25, and opens on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m. All performances take place at the historic Sedgwick Theater located at 7137 Germantown Ave. in Philadelphia. The play has an estimated running time of 95 minutes with no intermission, and is recommended for ages 13 or older.
Ticket prices range from $30 to $65, with special Pay-What-You-Can tickets for ‘Witch’ on Wednesday, Sept. 30. Event details, multiple discounts, group sales and more information are available at Quintessence Theatre’s website or by calling the box office at 215 987-4450. Public and street parking is available throughout the Mt. Airy neighborhood.