Cara Russell and Fred Whitridge enact the roles in "Trying," to be presented at the Grange July 29-30 and Aug.5-7. —Photo by Bill Westlake
By Doug Bechtel
The Actors Theatre is pleased to present Fred Whitridge and Cara Russell in a fully staged reading of the play “Trying” by Johanna McClelland Glass at the Grange.
This touching, sweet and ultimately uplifting play takes place when a young Canadian woman (played by Cara Russell) comes to work for an aged Philadelphia aristocrat, Judge Francis Biddle (played by Fred Whitridge), at his home in Washington, D.C. The Judge was former Attorney General of the United States under Franklin Roosevelt, and after the war he was named Chief Judge of the American Military Tribunal at Nuremberg by President Truman. The play takes place during 1967 and 1968 as they “try” to understand each other in what Biddle knows is the final year of his life.
“Trying” was called “Comic and touching,” by The New York Times and “Exquisitely literate, moving and compelling” by Variety. The New York Daily News said “Trying is a portrait of generational reconciliation. It is enormously bracing theatre.”
“Trying” is directed by Doug Bechtel and opens on Friday, July 29 with additional performances Saturday, July 30 and Friday, Saturday and Sunday, August 5 thru 7. Tickets for all performances are $10 and are available at Darvill’s Book Store and on-line at www.orcasactors.com. All performances are at 7:30 pm. This play is suitable for all ages but may not interest younger children. For more information, call 317-5601.
