Vinegar Tom
Written by Caryl Churchill
Directed by John Vreeke
Helms Theatre
February 16-18 and 21-25, 2012 at 8pm

Written by celebrated British playwright Caryl Churchill, Vinegar Tom uses the backdrop of the 17th Century witch trials to highlight the ongoing struggles for acceptance and equality faced by women.  Originally penned amid the women’s rights movement of the 1970’s, Churchill’s story invites us to ask tough questions about our own roles in the discrimination we encounter—or even participate in. 

U.Va. Drama welcomes guest artist John Vreeke as director of Vinegar Tom.  Now based in Seattle, Vreeke’s most recent work includes A Bright New Boise, which premiered this fall at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in D.C. 

“Vinegar Tom is a gripping account of fear and prejudice made all the more riveting in this production thanks in no small measure to the contemporary musical compositions of Michael Rasbury,” said Tom Bloom, Chair of U.Va.’s Department of Drama.

Rasbury, who teaches Sound Design at U.Va., composed all original music to accompany Churchill’s lyrics, working with both students and local musicians to infuse the play with heightened musical energy. 

Click here to meet the members of the Vinegar Tom band and to listen to them practice during rehearsal! Click here for more!

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