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The Bell Witch
A Supernatural Musical
Book & Lyrics by Tom Jacobson
Music By Deborah Wicks La Puma
Act One: When Betsy hears mysterious noises in her room at night, her father John tries to comfort her, but the noises materialize as a spirit they can’t see, a Witch who torments Betsy. John forces Betsy, her mother Lucy, and her brother John Jr to keep the frightening manifestations secret. Betsy seeks help from a young man, Joshua, but the Witch gets stronger, and she develops a voice, condemning Betsy and the family at secret meeting of the abolitionist society. The family tries to pray the spirit away, but the Witch gathers four new spirits poised to attack the other family members.
Act Two: The invisible spirits take over the household, now tormenting John for hurting Betsy. Betsy tries to thwart the Witch by running away with Joshua, and Lucy gets a witch ball from a neighbor, Kate, but nothing stops the spirits from torturing John. Finally Betsy tells the family that the spirits came because John’s nighttime games in her bedroom had gone too far, and the spirits kill John. Betsy both loved and hated her father—and is shocked to learn that she is the Witch. At her father’s funeral, Betsy gains control over the Witch by forgiving herself, and the Witch disappears.
The Bell Witch was commissioned by The Theatre at Boston Court, Pasadena, CA, and received an initial reading in October 2012 under the direction of Ken Sawyer. It is currently in development.
Act I
Act II
Audio demo features the voice talents of Melody Butiu (Witch), Gina D’Acciaro (Lucy), Sydney Endicott (Betsy), Scott Graff (John), Derek Manson (John Jr.), and Alex Miller (Joshua)
Cast: 4 women, 6 men
Female
BETSY BELL, 16, a pretty country girl
LUCY BELL, 30s-40s, BETSY’S mother
WITCH, a spirit. Also plays: KATE BATTS, a neighbor
OLIVE JOHNSTON, JAMES’ wife. Also plays: CYPOCRYPHY, a spirit
Male
JOHN BELL, 40s-50s, a farmer, BETSY’S father
JOHN BELL, JR, early 20s, BETSY’S brother
JOSHUA GARDNER, 17, a neighbor boy
JAMES JOHNSTON, a neighboring farmer. Also plays: BLACK DOG, a spirit
CALVIN JOHNSTON, JAMES’ younger brother. Also plays: JERUSALEM, a spirit
REVEREND SUGG FORT, a young Baptist minister. Also plays: MATHEMATICS, a spirit
Music: Folk/Bluegrass, scored for Fiddle, Guitar, Banjo/Mandolin and String Bass
Musical Difficulty: Intermediate
Technical Requirements: Minimal set, some special effects suggested
Suggested Audience: Adults
Tom Jacobson (book and lyrics) has had more than 80 productions of his plays in Los Angeles and around the country, including Sperm at Circle X Theatre Company, The Orange Grove at Playwrights Arena, and the award-winning Bunbury, Tainted Blood, Ouroboros and The Friendly Hour at The Road Theatre Company (allpublished by Broadway Play Publishing). In 2010 The Twentieth-Century Way premiered at The Theatre @ Boston Court and the New York International Fringe Festival (five Ovation Award nominations, four Los Angeles Drama Critics’ Circle nominations, one GLAAD Award nomination, Fringe Festival Award for Outstanding Production of a Play, PEN Center Award for Drama) and Making Paradise: The West Hollywood Musical was produced by Cornerstone Theater Company (Critic’s Choice in Back Stage West). He has been a co-literary manager of The Theatre @ Boston Court, a founding member of Playwrights Ink, and a board member of Cornerstone Theater Company. Most recent productions include the world premieres of The Chinese Massacre (Annotated) at Circle X and House of the Rising Son at Ensemble Studio Theatre-LA (Critic’s Choice in Back Stage West and Los Angeles Times, nominated for a GLAAD Award and winner of two Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards). His short film Prairie Sonata (based on The Friendly Hour) premiered last fall at the Moondance Film Festival and has since been scheduled for three festivals. Visit his website at www.tomjacobsonplaywright.com.
DEBORAH WICKS LA PUMA (music) – see her bio page
Buy The Bell Witch demo from Bandcamp
Featuring the voice talents of Melody Butiu (Witch), Gina D’Acciaro (Lucy), Sydney Endicott (Betsy), Scott Graff (John), Derek Manson (John Jr.), and Alex Miller (Joshua)