Wits’ End Productions will present a staged reading of Wallace Shawn’s Obie Award-winning play Aunt Dan and Lemon at the Basil Burwell Community Theater, 17 Court Street, Belfast, on Friday, October 23, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, October 24, at 2 p.m. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Waldo County Woodshed and Waldo County Bounty.

Coming just ahead of the Nov. 3 election, the reading is intended to spark conversation and keep Midcoast Maine voters engaged during this political moment.

The performances are sponsored by Madison Cook, candidate for House District 39, which represents the towns of Belfast, Belmont and Northport.

Told through the memories of a young woman nicknamed Lemon, the play introduces her captivating mentor, “Aunt” Dan, a close friend of her parents who fills Lemon’s young imagination with tales of her wild days in London’s Swinging Sixties and her adoration of Henry Kissinger.

Dan’s descriptions of her affairs with married men, her hedonistic circle of friends, and the beautiful but calculating Mindy, who is willing to go to violent lengths to maintain her lifestyle, illustrate the human capacity to depend on comfort enabled by cruelty toward others, our voyeuristic fascination with evil, and our willingness to give power and allegiance to strongmen who promise us the way of life we desire.

The reading is directed by Zafra Whitcomb, of Belfast, and a Waldo County native who studied acting, directing and performing arts management at Bard College and Brooklyn College of the City University of New York. Whitcomb spent more than 10 years working with theater companies in New York City and Washington, D.C., before returning to Maine in 2007. Most recently, Whitcomb directed Below the Belt for the Belfast Maskers this spring.

“Forty years after it was written, this play has a resonance beyond the horrors of Nazi Germany or the Vietnam War that it describes,” Whitcomb said, in a news release. “We are witnessing a slide toward fascism, and people are being radicalized by figures like Dan in this country and around the world every day.”

The cast features Sally Mills as Aunt Dan and Emily Fetter as Lemon, with an ensemble including Andre Blanchard, Greta Brown, Cory Burns, Linnea Harrold, and Blaine Kerr. The play will be performed in the style of a live radio play, with actors reading from scripts and interacting on stage while positioned at music stands.

“I’m running for office because I believe campaigns should be rooted in gratitude for, understanding of, and investment in the communities they seek to represent," said Event sponsor Madison Cook. "Sponsoring this event is one way I can put those values into practice. Events like this—where our community comes together in person to celebrate local creative talent and consider what’s at stake in the upcoming election—are an important part of building a stronger community.”

Audience members are invited to social gatherings at the theater before and after each performance, providing a space for building community, discussing the play’s themes and making plans for taking action locally. Music will be provided by local DJ Dee Dee Seahorn. Pre-show socials begin at 6 p.m. on Friday (with a beer and wine cash bar) and 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. Post-show gatherings begin immediately after each 90-minute performance.

Wallace Shawn’s play and screenwriting credits include Marie and Bruce, Our Late Night (Obie Award), The Designated Mourner and My Dinner with Andre. His play The Fever was adapted for HBO and starred Vanessa Redgrave. He is also widely known for his film roles, including Vizzini in The Princess Bride, Mr. Hall in Clueless and Rex the dinosaur in the Toy Story films.

Tickets

All ticket levels are general admission and are offered on a pay-what-you-choose basis: 

• Roots: $5  
• Evergreens: $15 
• Heartwood: $25 
• Branches: $50  

Ticket proceeds will be donated to the Waldo County Woodshed and Waldo County Bounty — keeping our neighbors safe, warm and fed through the winter.  Tickets are available at belfastmaskers.com/auntdan and at the door.