"Extraordinary... compelling... the play is also a remarkable piece of writing. — The New York Times
"The Amish Project is thought-provoking, compelling theatre..." — nytheatre.com
"[Dickey's] craft made me weep. The virtuosic writer-performer acts her bonnet off." — Time Out New York
"Dickey, as formidable a playwright as she is a performer, tackles metaphysical subjects with power and empathy...must-see!" - The Star Tribune
The Amish Project
Running February 15th-March 2nd at The Jedlicka Performing Arts Center
Conceived in the wake of the 2006 school shootings in the Amish community of Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania, Jessica Dickey’s fictional exploration of a real-life tragedy allows us to glimpse into the world of Amish culture and to come to grips with the true limits of compassion and forgiveness. The Amish Project is a devastating and beautiful one-woman performance that compels us to question the paths we take at the crossroads of grief, rage, and clemency.
Featuring Grayson Heyl who is incredibly honored for this opportunity to perform in The Amish Project. She was last seen in People in the Wind in Director’s Haven and will next be seen in Provision Theater’s production of Last Train to Nibroc. Other selected roles include Catherine in Suddenly Last Summer at Raven Theatre, Michaela in Elemeno Pea at Citadel Theatre, Miranda in The Tempest and Lady Capulet in Romeo & Juliet at Door County Shakespeare. Understudy credits include work with The Marriott, Chicago Shakespeare, Northlight, and The Hypocrites. Grayson is a graduate of Oklahoma City University. Thank you to Brian and Samantha, the entire AP creative team, and Leda for trusting me with this role.
Michelle Lilly, Scenic Design
Jess Fialko, Lighting & Costume Design
Camille Denholm, Sound Design
Nicholas Schwartz, Technical Director
Joel Garcia, Stage Manager
Use promo code CTW19 at checkout for $15 tickets!
Meet The Playwright
Jessica Dickey
Jessica Dickey, a native of Pennsylvania, began her research on Amish culture in order to write her play The Amish Project, which was praised by audiences and critics alike during its Off-Broadway run at the prestigious Rattlestick Playwrights Theater in New York City. The Amish Project is a fictional exploration of the tragic events of the Nickel Mines shooting, when the local milkman walked into an Amish schoolhouse and shot all the girls and then himself. The Amish responded to this crime by forgiving the gunman and embracing his family as fellow victims. Honoring the redemptive aspects of this incredible story, The Amish Project is published by Samuel French, continues to be produced all over America and the world, and was listed by nytheatre.com as a play that should have been nominated for the Pulitzer. The Amish Project won the CAPPIE Award for Best Play. Ms. Dickey has since gone on to write two more plays, which both have a world premiere coming up in 2013— Row After Row (a comedy about Civil War re-enactors) will premiere in Tuscon, Arizona in April 2013; and Charles Ives Take Me Home (a poignant play about a father and daughter) was nominated for the prestigious Susan Blackburn Prize and will premiere in New York City in May 2013. She was also nominated for the PONY Award in 2011. Ms. Dickey is also an actor; her work can be found on both stage and screen.www.jessicadickey.com