In celebration of their 75th season, the Abbey Players have some big things planned for this year. A cabaret celebrating the past 75 years, a new, exciting and entertaining fall show, and a new director are only some of the things the board of directors is cooking up.
Joining the Abbey Players this year as the director is Jesse Saywell, an actor, director and playwright. Saywell has performed on many high profile stages such as The Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, and The Arena Stage. He has also directed in big cities such as Washington D.C., Phoenix, and Los Angeles, and he is coming to St. A’s after serving as an Assistant Artistic Director in Los Angeles. Additionally, his play Dignity debuted earlier this year at the ARTSpace Black Box Theater in Simi Valley. Saywell stated that he was drawn to Saint Anselm by its “blend of tradition and innovation [along] with .. top-tier faculty [and the] beautiful campus that feels remote, but it’s actually quite close to a major metropolitan market.”
When asked what he was excited about this year, Saywell said he is “excited to work with the Abbey Players and bring not only great theatre to Saint Anselm, but also continue their tradition of building a community of acceptance.” While Saywell expressed excitement for the season as a whole, the 24 Hour Play Festival stands out as something to look forward to. He said “they’re just an incredible amount of fun – and it’s amazing to see the art that can come together in under a day.”
More broadly, Saywell expressed excitement about working with college students as he’s found they have a “hunger to learn and grow, both as a person and as an intellectual – and that energy is infectious.” Saywell is also excited to be back in New England saying he’s “missed fall while living in the Southwest. The energy on a college campus seems to come alive as the air cools and the leaves change. It may sound a bit dramatic, but I am in the business of drama, after all.”
The student members of the Abbey’s have had an overwhelmingly positive response to Saywell. Kathryn Langille, ‘26, who serves as the Director of Sets, says that “she doesn’t have enough good things to say about [Saywell]; [he is] receptive to new ideas while bringing a new perspective, wisdom and experience” to the discussion. Echoing Langille’s sentiments, Hope Jensen, ‘25, the Director of Public Relations, says “he’s going to bring a lot of talent and also be an excellent leader.” Director of Props, Julia Bard, ‘25, expressed excitement for Saywell’s ideas “for making the season easier and smoother for crew.” All three directors are excited to work with and to learn from Saywell.
This Family Weekend, the Abbey Players Cabaret will be a blast from the past in the as they journey from their beginning to the present with song selections from musicals they’ve performed during the past 75 years. Additionally, later on this fall, the Abbeys will be putting on Clue, a show inspired by the movie that is based on the game! So prepare yourself for a year of excellent theater designed to welcome the new and reflect upon the old!
Cabaret tickets are on sale now at the Dana Center website. More information regarding Clue tickets is coming soon.
