Act Worthy of Yourselves: Reimagining of Joseph Warre's Funeral
April 1776. The British army has finally left Boston. Now, nearly a year after his death, friends and family can finally hold a funeral for Dr. Joseph Warren. Inside King’s Chapel, his brother, his fiancée, his apprentice, and his friend Paul Revere gather to mourn Warren and to make sense of their loss. Outside the Chapel, two Black abolitionists wonder what this revolution will mean for them. A play about memory, legacy, and the potential and pitfalls of the American Revolution. This play is being produced at King's Chapel in Boston, MA on Saturday, June 14th. There will be two performances on June 14th—one at 2pm and one at 7:30pm. We will be able to offer a small stipend to actors for this production. VIDEO SUBMISSIONS We are accepting video submissions for this project, due by 9 pm on Saturday, May 17th.
9 roles
Sixties. A free Black man. A business owner. Married to Margaret, an enslaved woman. Father to two children. A mason. He attended King’s Chapel for several years. He takes a more cautious approach to his abolitionist work.
Forties. A free Black man. Works as a leather dresser. Founder of African-American freemasonry. Prominent abolitionist in Boston. A Congregationalist, he takes a more fire-and-brimstone approach to his activism. Interested in emigrationism (moving back to Africa).
Thirties. White. Physician, soldier. A prominent freemason, he is the Grand Master of St. Andrew’s Lodge. Dead before the show begins, he is seen only in flashbacks. Father to four children by his first wife, Elizabeth Hooton Warren. Handsome, intelligent, and charismatic
Forties-sixties.White. Paul Revere:41 years old. White. Silversmith, amateur dentist, mason, Joseph Warren’s friend and right-hand man. John Rowe: 61 years old. White. Merchant. Grand Master of St. John’s Lodge, the rival lodge to Warren’s St. Andrew’s Lodge. Neutral, taking neither the Patriot nor Loyalist sides.
Thirties. White. Rachel Revere: 31 years old. Paul Revere’s wife, pro-revolution but kept out of direct action. Abigail Adams: 32 years old. White. Wife to John Adams. Friend of Joseph Warren, she writes the news of his death to her husband John.
Twenties. White. Joseph Warren’s younger brother. Physician. Believes his brother was a martyr and is furious at his death.
Twenties. White. A young lawyer. A mason. A skilled writer and speaker.
Twenties. White. William Eustis: 23 years old. Formerly apprenticed to Joseph Warren, Eustis has taken over the care of many of Warren’s patients. Generous and funny. This role doubles for several characters, including a British officer and Provincial (American) soldier.
Twenties. White. Disabled, only actors with disabilities will be considered for this role. Shot by a British soldier during the Boston Massacre. Under care for his extensive injuries. Angry at his condition and at the treatment he has received from Bostonians.
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