‘The Weight of Silence’ at Cotuit Center for the Arts

COTUIT – The Cotuit Center for the Arts will present the premiere of “The Weight of Silence,” a play by Cheryl Allan Carlyle, January 10 to 27 in the Black Box Theater.

“The Weight of Silence” is a story of survival and unrealized loyalty that sheds light on issues from abandonment to abuse and on the inner child who shoulders it all.

“It is a story of the complex relationships between two generations of women, focusing on 15-year old Grace, her mother Cathy, and her aunt Sarah,” said Carlyle.

“The play invites us to ask difficult questions, to examine the impact of our action and inaction, and to explore the resiliency of the human spirit.”

The play shatters the fourth wall as the characters tell their stories for the very first time. They address the audience directly, drawing in viewers as both observers and allies.

“Secrets cause misunderstandings. They hurt people,” said Johansen, who directed “The Weight of Silence” as a staged reading with the Suffield Players in Connecticut, before moving to Chatham.

“The play brings up issues that many women face today: keeping secrets because they are afraid of what other people think of them, striking out at other people instead of those responsible for their distress.”

Grace, played by Mikayla Boyle, becomes the catalyst through which the other characters find redemption.

A Cape Cod high school sophomore, Boyle credits four years of Circus Camp for her performance skills. She has appeared in “The Pirates of Penzance,” “Dark Tales,” and other plays.

Grace’s mother, Cathy, is played by Kristen Fehlau, who performed recently at CCftA in “Elegies for Angels, Punks, and Raging Queens. Primarily a musical comedy actress, Fehlau is looking forward to stretching her acting wings.

Leeandra Booth plays Sarah, Grace’s aunt, who is disabled. Booth is an actor, singer, and stage manager. She has been involved with various New Bedford theater venues, including Culture Park, The Glass Horse Project, the Whaling Museum, and the Zeiterion Theater.

“The cast is amazing,” said Carlyle. “They are committed to bringing this piece to life.”

Performances are Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 PM and Sunday at 2 PM. Anna Marie Johansen directs.

 

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