Press Release For Immediate Release

February 18, 2021

Is murder ever justified? Nat Turner, leader of the slave rebellion in 1831, tries to answer the question in a haunting play written by P.A. Wray.

Three performances of the play are being live-streamed by Conejo Players on February 19, 20 and 21.

VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA (FEBRUARY 18, 2021) — Was he a hero or villain? A play about Nat Turner elicits both responses, especially from the actors who play the title character in Nat’s Last Struggle. The one-man play — distributed and licensed by Blue Moon Plays — has become a staple for theatre groups because of the moral dilemma it raises.

“P.A. Wray’s play is brilliant,” said Jean Klein, owner of Blue Moon Plays. “Wray explores the torment Turner suffered from the evils of slavery and how his devout faith became his path to murder. God, he believed, had commanded him to “cut off the serpent’s head.” Similar justifications are still used worldwide today — 190 years after Turner’s rebellion.”

Turner was born into slavery. He grew up deeply religious and believed he was called to confront the brutality of slavery. In August 1831, Turner led more than 70 enslaved and free blacks into a bloody revolt which became the only direct, continuous slave rebellion in U.S. history.

The state militia defeated the insurrection four days later, but not before Turner and his men killed between 55 and 65 people, most of whom were white. Turner escaped but was eventually captured and hanged. The state executed an additional 56 blacks for taking part and supporting the uprising. Militias killed at least 100 more. The revolt spread fear among landowners that slaves in other communities also were rebelling and led to whites attacking innocent blacks throughout the South.

A California theatre company is the latest ensemble to perform the play. Actor John L. Adams takes on the role in the pay-what-you-can online broadcast by the Conejo Players Theatre, scheduled for 7 p.m. PST on February 19 and 20. Another performance is at 2 p.m. PST on Sunday, February 21.

“In Nat’s Last Struggle, Turner must confront his conscience in the afterlife,” said Klein. “He has to answer the question: was the 1831 rebellion worth all the blood that was shed?”

It would be another 34 years until slavery would be abolished by the Thirteenth Amendment.

About Blue Moon Plays

Blue Moon Plays provides high-quality, professionally written, inspiring plays for a wide range of education, community, and professional theatre needs. Blue Moon Plays is dedicated to helping theatre companies, community groups, senior entertainment groups and schools find scripts that meet their exact needs. They are also dedicated to promoting plays and playwrights that are inclusive and representative of the communities they serve, including plays about African American life and history

Company: Blue Moon Plays LLC
Contact Name: Jean Klein
Email: info@bluemoonplays.com

Phone: +1-757-816-1164
Address: 1385 Fordham Drive Ste 105-279, Virginia Beach, VA 23464, United States
Website: https://havescripts.com

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Monday 14 December

For immediate release

New Floyd Collins Theatre Play Script By Robert P. Arthur Launches 15 December

Blue Moon Plays is launching a new book, “Floyd Collins and the White Angels of Sand Cave”, a play script by Robert P Arthur and the author’s thirtieth book.

Virginia Beach, VA, December 14th, 2020: Acclaimed and award-winning poet, novelist, and playwright Robert P. Arthur is delighted to see the publication of one of his earliest stage play scripts that were produced, but not published. “Floyd Collins and the White Angels of Sand Cave” is yet another feather in the cap of the internationally renowned post-modern writer and poet who shot to fame with his long poem, Hymn to the Chesapeake.

“Floyd Collins and the White Angels of Sand Cave” is set to go live on 15 December, available at Blue Moon Plays, and is expected to become a big hit with theatre directors and theatre audiences. More information on the play can be found on the Blue Moon Plays website: https://havescripts.com

Very few people now remember Floyd Collins, but the story of Floyd keeps coming back in articles, books, and movies since 1925. The incident inspired the 1951 movie “Ace in the Hole”, starring Kirk Douglas. The play is set in Kentucky in 1925. Floyd Collins became trapped 200 feet underground while searching for a new cave to make his fame and fortune. The story consumed the nation and became the third- biggest media even to be reported upon between the two World Wars. It was extensively reported by newspapers and was a sensation on the newly launched radio broadcast services. As a play, it will appeal to a wide audience of men and women between seventeen to ninety.

Said Jean Klein of Blue Moon Plays, “I am excited to be publishing more of Robert’s work. He is arguably the inventor of the term “poem/play”, where powerful lyrical poetry is woven with music and song to create an intoxicating stage event. This year we published his collection of poems “Silver Beach Road” which is a life in poetry inspired by the Eastern Shore of Virginia, and recently published his extraordinary play “Rasputin: The Libertine”, another early play that was produced but not published. I am thrilled to be publishing “Floyd Collins and the White Angels of Sand Cave”, which deals with very current topics of the media, truth, and perception. Robert has that enviable skill of instantly transporting a reader or audience into a different time and place just with his words.”

The Floyd Collins play will interest audiences today because it makes a universal statement: reality is unknowable. The characters in the play, Floyd’s family and friends are committed to telling the truth and almost come to blows when trying to piece together the truth about Floyd’s entrapment in Sand Cave. For them, the matter becomes an existential crisis. What really happened?

When asked about why he wrote the book, Arthur said: ” My friend, journalist, and poet, Nancy Davis, told me the story and handed me a book about Floyd. I immediately identified with Floyd as the story reminded me of my childhood when I suffered seizures and hallucinations and felt trapped in a dark mental, place and would go hide out in a pantry. The focus of the play becomes not the possibility of Floyd’s escape (he dies) but rather how the escape could have been achieved. I love the unintentional poetry of the dialect of the Kentucky Karst and intentional mystical and choral effects in the dialogue. One becomes entrapped in the language, as well as the story.” Arthur and the publishers have hopes that the book will be read by theatre directors and produced when theatres and arts spaces open their doors again.

There’s particular excitement about this launch because this is Arthur’s thirtieth book to be published. He shows no signs of slowing down at the age of 77 and continues to write prolifically. Last winter saw the release of his Rolling Olive Press published marine magnum opus, the novel, “Master William and the Finman”, a fascinating supernatural shape-shifting sea story.

In Arthur’s own words, “I currently have a novel ready to publish, three books of poems, including my best love poems, a book of short plays, as well as a book of short stories. Now retired from teaching, I am a compulsive writer.” That is what is to be expected of this author, poet and playwright, whose indefatigable spirit is an inspiration to many much younger than him. No doubt, he will go on to win many more accolades and much appreciation in the times to come. Much like he did for his book of poetry, “Hymn to the Chesapeake”, which has been produced as a musical play and seen performances in St. Petersburg, Washington, New York City, Maryland, and throughout Virginia.

In a recent interview, the author made a point of thanking Nancy Davis, who handed him the book about Floyd in the first place.

Those interested in learning more about the book can visit here: https://havescripts.com

Robert P. Arthur

CONTACT:
Jean Klein
Blue Moon Plays
info@bluemoonplays.com
1-757-814-1164
About Blue Moon Plays LLC and Havescripts
Blue Moon Plays LLC was founded in 2014, and serves the Stage Play Scripts market.
Havescripts was founded in 2003, and serves the Education Play Scripts market sector.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Blue_Moon_Plays
Address: 1385 Fordham Drive Ste 105-279, Virginia Beach, VA 23464, United States
Website: https://havescripts.com

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Previous Press Releases

New Christmas Play Scripts and Holiday Plays Published by Blue Moon Plays.

This selection of Christmas plays for community shows, musicals and holiday plays brings alive all aspects of Christmas, with memorable songs and humorous, sensitive, easy-to-stage scripts.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OCTOBER 10, 2019

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA , OCTOBER 10, 2019 – Blue Moon Plays, under the banner of its Havescripts imprint, today it is releasing more scripts for Christmas plays suitable for holiday celebrations to bring pleasure to the holiday season in homes, schools, places of worship or community theatres.

Plays expressing spiritual messages bring this most significant of celebrations for the Christian community to life. Incorporating short plays of 10 to 30 minutes into a traditional service in church or school, brings a change of pace and conveys the Christmas message in a more vibrant way for worshippers.

Blue Moon Plays director Jean Klein said, “Play scripts published in the Havescripts imprint are cost-effective, highly practical to stage and economical with the time of the director and production crew. Some Christmas and holiday play scripts on offer by other publishers become costly to produce and need technical resources unavailable to schools on a budget, or theatre groups in smaller communities. As well as being cost-effective, the plays mentioned are full of energy, lively characters and creative plots that resonate with modern audiences in diverse classrooms and communities.”

The latest Christmas themed plays being offered by Blue Moon Plays are:

• A Pastor’s Tale: The True Story of Silent Night: The origin story of this popular hymn coming into being is a true and charming tale. This 20-minute comedy play has roles for children and teens.

• Christmas in Montana: Political Correctness hijacks Christmas carols in a one-room school in rural Montana. A 10-minute comedy play with roles for children and teens.

• As We See Him: This Christmas musical play cantata is equally at home in a church rectory and a sing-along in a family den. Inspiring text combined with familiar carols is guaranteed to resurrect the spirit of the holidays. Lead sheets and text are available.

The holiday season is a competitive time for entertainment, but theatres can compete with the traditional Christmas Carol and Nutcracker Suite with delightful stories of Christmas trials, tribulations, and redemptions.

• A.N.G.E.L.S., Inc: This two-act farce presents the Nativity as it could be portrayed in this current era of cameras and breaking news. and is suitable for theatres,

• The Concise Christmas Carol: Narrated by one actor, the complete story of Scrooge unfolds in 50 minutes. This is a perfect entertainment for family gatherings, and is also popular at Hotel and Bed-and-Breakfast accommodations offering entertainment.

• A Colonial Christmas: A full-length holiday comedy with a large cast where the Hartley family rediscover the meaning of Christmas as they are transported to the time of George Washington helped by a magical old barrel organ.

These latest plays join a larger selection of exciting original scripts for Christmas plays and musicals, including poignant dramas and merry comedies where Christmas celebrations and the festive season are merely the backdrop for a parallel compelling story.

Community Theatres and schools can bring laughter and humour by mounting productions of large-scale comedy plays based on Fairy Tales and stories from Classic literature that uplift the spirit and combine the talents of both young and old with these holiday plays

• Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass: Choose a one-act or combine the two for a full-length wonderland extravaganza.

• Snow White: Six quirky dwarfs and a feisty Snow White will make this a holiday production your audiences will remember forever.

• Cinderella: Always a school favorite, this Cinderella has a mind of her own and manner to match.

• The Snow Queen: Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale of intrigue and deceit reveals the triumph of friendship and love over evil. Performed with optional audience participation, it plays well to younger audiences.

Inviting friends and families to be part of a performance at a Theatre Party is becoming an increasingly popular home-entertainment choice. Mixed age-groups will like Christmas in Montana or the short A Pastor’s Tale. An alternative is to recruit an actor from a local theatre to perform a one-man play, like The Concise Christmas Carol, for an unforgettable and unique event.

The holidays are a time for getting together and celebrating in the company of family and friends. What better way than to join together in the thrill of producing or experiencing the magic of performance. Blue Moon Plays publishes scripts for plays that are easy to stage and are available as printed scripts or files to print at school or home.

The plays are available for licensing by businesses, drama groups, theatre producers, literary agents and booking agencies in the U.S. and abroad. Currently there is a 15% discount for first-time buyers signing up to the Newsletter.

CONTACT:

Jean Klein

Blue Moon Plays

info@bluemoonplays.com

1-757-814-1164

About Blue Moon Plays LLC and Havescripts
Blue Moon Plays LLC was founded in 2014, and serves the Stage Play Scripts market.
Havescripts was founded in 2003, and serves the Education Play Scripts market sector.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Blue_Moon_Plays

Address:

Website: https://havescripts.com

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