Be part of The Story!

Auditions took place May 28 but there are many other ways to participate and be part of this historical production.

It takes a community to stage a theatre!

Join the Crew!

The show can’t go on without you! If you have any interest in theatre production, costumes/makeup, set building, or just like being part of historic community endeavors, please consider volunteering for this summer’s production. Contributions include lighting, set building, prop making, costumes/makeup, publicity, ushers, and more!

Join us and be part of history!

If you have questions about the production or interest in joining the backstage or front-of-house crews, please send us an email at [email protected]

Prefer to contribute in other ways? There are ways to do that!


Character Casting

Children’s author and illustrator Virginia Lee Burton attended the opening night of “Gloucester Story” and made these sketches of the lead characters. The drawing appeared July 21, 1953, in the Gloucester Daily Times. Larger figures from l-r are characters Debby Wharton, Seth Bates, Capt. Nate Morrison, Charlie Fred, and Liz Brewer. (Virginia Lee Burton Demetrios Collection of the Cape Ann Museum, Gloucester, MA. Gift of Aristides Demetrios and Ilene H. Nagel Demetrios, 2019 [Acc. #2019.011])

Here are the main roles in “Gloucester Story” as originally described by Clayton Stockbridge.

Charlie Fred Monson

The story and plot revolve around this young man in his early twenties. He must be able to so impress the audience with his love of the sea and his desire to be a captain that it will be eager for all obstacles to be removed from his path. He must read into his lines an assurance of confidence in himself in regard to his ambition, and approach it with enthusiasm and vigor of youth, but must uncertain and shy in his little love scenes.

Deborah Wharton

Is Charlie Fred’s sweetheart of about the same age. She should be attractive and very feminine. She must obviously enjoy the compliments of the captains and the banter between them must be in laughing good humor; even the wharf situation with Captain Nate must be light. She should show a reserve in situations with John – with Charlie Fred in the first scene where he kisses her, she should show surprise and hurt feelings rather than anger.

John Monson

Is Charlie Fred’s father and the representative of the owner class of 1905. He is in his 50s. He is smug and dignified in appearance and manner.

Seth Bates

Is the white-collar man of the period. He never cracks a smile but has a dry Yankee wit. He should be able to convey a lot of meaning in small gestures. He is about 60 years old.

Captain Nate Morrison

Should be tall, raw-boned, weather-beaten in appearance, and authoritative in manner, but should show a certain wistfulness of the lonely many in his character. He is about the same age as John Monson.

Captain Billy Hall

Should be a different type than Nate. He should be jovial in manner and have a pleasing voice in order to make his lines about a woman’s place in a fisherman’s life more effective. He is about 40-50 years of age.

Frenchie Boudreau

Is loud and unrestrained in action and must be able to handle a French accent. He should be a large man as he must carry Dory Plug a short distance. Age unimportant.

Cookie Brown

In his 50s. He mothers the crew as did many of the cooks of that period. He or Ike should be able to carry a simple tune.

Myron

Is a young man who is able to play the violin.

Ike

Is young – the nervous type. He does not possess the fortitude of the others and it is he who, more than the rest, sets the mood of apprehension that must be created in the forecastle scene.

Dory Plug

Must be short in stature and light in weight. Age is unimportant. He must be able to act drunk convincingly.

Nucky

Is the ultimate reserved Yankee with the most extreme accent. He should be gruff and should speak as though it were difficult to force out his words. He is about 50.

Liz Brewer

Is about 40. A waterfront wife who makes shore life difficult for her doryman husband. She must be able to convey the momentous import of the mystical dream to the audience in such a way that it leaves no doubt that death is sailing aboard the Artemisia. She is loud, brassy, and uninhibited.

Waldo

Is a young boy.


The 2023 Production of “Gloucester Story” is made possible by the generous contributions from our Sponsors:

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