English Teachers Turned Playwrights To Debut Original Work

CONCORD, NH — William Ivers and Walter Freeman, two veteran English teachers from Nashua North High School, practice what they teach by turning their talents to the stage. Their original work, a ghostly dark comic thriller entitled The Final Reel is in production and will open on Sept. 8, 2017, at the Hatbox Theater in Concord, according to a press statement. Production information and tickets can be obtained through the theater’s website at hatboxnh.com.

"The Final Reel" will be produced by New World Theatre, headed by established New Hampshire playwright Donald Tongue. Ivers and Freeman recently joined the collective as playwrights. The collective promotes original theatrical works (their motto is “Creating a new world of theatre”) and has been enjoying success in and around New England. Donald Tongue has enjoyed critical success at the Hatbox with his stellar drama, "The Truth Will Spring Yuh," and his political comedy, "Candid Candidate."

Ivers won the prestigious Northeastern Playwriting Competition with his original one­ act play, "An Unexamined Life." The collective’s one­ act play collection, It’s Academic, debuts in June 2018, also at the Hatbox. The 4 one­ acts focus on the theme of education and will feature Ivers’ award­-winning play in the line­up. The collective will seek to expand its catalogue and continue to promote original works throughout New England in the coming years.

"The Final Reel" is a uniquely entertaining, ghostly dark yet comic thriller that is set in a haunted mansion on the coast of Maine. A wonderfully inept and dysfunctional team of paranormal investigators for a staged, present­ day reality show entitled, "Ghost Encounters," have come to the mansion for one, final production that they hope will boost their failing ratings.

The group includes a pretentious director who idolizes the spirit of Orson Wells, a diva, a put­ up on flunky, two bumbling tech nerds, a sleazy producer, a flaky psychic, and a burned out professor. At the mansion, they meet Judy Leman, a tragic figure from the days of old Hollywood. Judy managed her daughter Jackie’s stellar 1930’s film career as child star, Dolly Dancer.

Tensions mounted between mother and daughter as Dolly’s film career flagged. Dolly was set to make a comeback when she flung herself from the balcony of the mansion under mysterious circumstances. Judy has remained in the mansion for decades, haunted by guilt, claiming her daughter still walks within its walls. It is within this dark mansion, isolated from the outside world, where the film crew encounters something their show has never experienced before: an actual haunting. One by one, the cast begins to die in mysterious ways. Is it the vengeful spirit of Dolly Dancer or something more earthly and sinister at play? Old Hollywood meets modern television on the stage as the mystery of the death of Dolly Dancer unfolds in "The Final Reel."

Submitted by Jacqueline Coffin.