Somerville Actors Shine in The Magic Fire

Theatre@First's latest show, The Magic Fire, opens next Friday, featuring a multi-talented group of Somerville actors. Led by Margretta Beaty in the role of Lise Berg, the production also includes Hatem Adell, Kitty Drexel, Brian Edgar, and Jason Merrill, as well as featuring Chantelle Marshall in her very first stage role!

The Magic Fire invites you into the lively home of an immigrant family in Buenos Aires of the 1950s. In this enchanting play, Argentinean-American playwright Lillian Groag explores the connections among memory, history, and art through the eyes of a child, revisited from the perspective of adulthood. By turns funny, loving, and politically alarming, The Magic Fire weaves a spell of tango and opera, treasured memories and hidden truths. Since its debut at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 1997, The Magic Fire has been produced only a handful of times. Theatre@First is proud to give this magical work its New England premiere!

Since its founding in 2003, Theatre@First has produced more than forty main-stage shows, as well as cabarets, Shakespeare slams, and a popular series of staged readings. A vital part of the thriving Somerville arts scene, Theatre@First draws on the talent and support of individuals and organizations throughout our community to provide affordable, quality theatre in a variety of local venues.

Artistic Director and Davis Square resident Elizabeth Hunter is thrilled to share this beautiful script with the community. "It's a mix of comedy and drama, a group of engaging characters navigating family relationships amid a political crisis. While not a musical, this is a family of music lovers who burst into song over the dinner table in a way that feels very warm and familiar to me. " At the same time, the setting of the play during the rise of authoritarianism in Argentina resonates with our current political climate. "Many of us struggle with what to tell our children about today's events. The Magic Fire is all about that personal dilemma and the desire to protect our children from the ugliness of the world."

Margretta Beaty is also a trained operatic soprano, while Hatem Adell has directed several local shows including last year's Love's Labour's Lost (in Space). Jason Merrill and his daughter, Alice, who is also part of the cast, perform with local choirs and the North Cambridge Family Opera. Brian Edgar and Kitty Drexel both make regular appearances with several local theatres. Chantelle Marshall brings an amazing calm and confidence to her role as Rosa, the family's housekeeper and practical counterweight, according to Hunter, who continues "Having a cast of this caliber is one of the privileges of working in Somerville, where the depth of talent is so robust. It is a joy to go through the rehearsal process with actors who bring so much to their roles."

The Magic Fire opens on Friday, November 10th at 7:30pm at Unity Somerville, 6 William Street, Somerville. Additional performances at 7:30pm on November 11, 16, 17 and at 3:30pm on November 12 and 18. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students/seniors. For tickets and more information visit theatreatfirst.org.