CAST

Martha…………………………Sharon Spenser

SETTING

Early 1800s, Somers, NY

SPECIAL THANKS

Billie Tucker, Tutti Bravi, Dan Briem,  Galina Chernykh, Kevin Snipes, Mike Bouteneff, Rebecca Fitzgerald, Giovanna Fiorino-Iannace, Albi Gorn, Judy Tucker, The Harrison Public Library

*The Eyes of Old Bet runs around 25 minutes and will be followed by a Q & A facilitated by Dr. Manya Bouteneff.

CREATIVE TEAM

SHARON SPENSER graduated in the UK with a degree in Drama and French. Some favorite stage performances in England include: Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion, Witch in Macbeth and Bottom in an all-female cast of Midsummer Night’s Dream. She was, for many years, involved with Center Stage Community Theatre in the Bronx, where she produced, directed and performed. Sharon has been seen on stage in New Rochelle in original Tutti Bravi productions based on real Westchester historical personalities, including Ann Gould (Daughter of Jay Gould), Grace in His First English Words, and Martha in The Eyes of Old Bet both by Tara Meddaugh. She has also appeared in other locations in Westchester, playing Abigail Adams, Eleanor of Aquitaine in The Lion in Winter, Roxane in Cyrano de Bergerac, Eva Schlesinger in Kindertransport, Mrs. Prentice in What the Butler Saw and played both Ann Shankland and Sibyl Railton-Bell in Separate Tables by Terrence Rattigan. Sharon wishes to thank her long suffering but very supportive husband, Peter, for his constant encouragement, the Harrison Public Library Staff members for all their assistance, and my lovely friends for coming out today to support my endeavor.  Lastly, my eternal gratitude to Tara, the amazing playwright, who has deftly created so many wonderful characters and given me this opportunity to interpret Martha once again.

TARA MEDDAUGH is an award-winning playwright whose dark comedies, allegories, children’s plays and heightened dramas have been performed around the world, from Alaska to Australia, New York to Bangkok. Her plays and monologues have been published by Smith & Kraus, YouthPLAYS, Oxford Press South Africa, London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, Limelight, and Meriweather, including several appearances in “Best 10-Minute Plays” and “Best Stage Monologues” anthologies. She has script consulted on several animation and VR projects and taught Playwriting at theaters, colleges, and schools. She holds her MFA in Dramatic Writing from Carnegie Mellon University and is a member of the Dramatists Guild. Huge thanks to The Harrison Public Library and her family for their support and to Sharon for brilliantly bringing this character to life. You can check out more of Tara’s work at tarameddaugh.com.