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The Phelps Mansion is proud to present a retrospective of playwright and director Judith Present, on March 31^st at 7:30 pm. Ms. Present has been involved in theatre for over forty years. She was a resident playwright at the American Renaissance Theatre Company in New York City before she brought her talent to our area in 1992. Judith along with Judy McMahon operated Theatricks by Starlight Theater Company at the State Theatre in Deposit NY for ten years after which Judith struck out on her own and founded her own company, Presentarts.

Under the Presentarts banner, Judith wrote and presented new plays at the Hancock Opera House with the Little Victory Players before taking her productions on tour to other venues including veterans’ organizations, museums, and historical societies.

Judith has been recognized for her use of monologues in developing the characters of the people that she brings to the stage. In these monologues she explores the peculiarities of the human condition and the circumstances under which they cope with their own fears, failings or even bittersweet circumstances. From an elderly widow seeking companionship in a bar to a singing serial killer whose calm demeanor belies his horrific deeds.

In 2016, Judith wrote First Ladies – featuring the little known, behind the scenes stories of select presidential wives.  Written in a monologue format, the first ladies told their remarkable stories illustrating the fact that drama and achievement were not limited to their presidential husbands. The enthusiastic response to this production led Judith to take on a partner in Maryann Johnson and focus on the remarkable stories and lessons that history has to offer.  Costumed in period dress and music, characters such as the Wright Brothers, Madame Curie, Sarah Bernhardt and Dorothea Dix offer insights into their achievements and the political, economic and social environments that shaped them. They provide a connection with the past that helps to illustrate their influence on how we see history today.

Present People, A Retrospective will offer an entertaining evening featuring some of the more colorful and poignant stories told by Present’s people. Included will be excerpts from Ghosts of the South describing the impact of slavery, a look into the Vietnam War, a visit from the original diva, Sarah Bernhardt and the First Ladies among others. If you want to know more about Presentarts you can go to their website: https://presentarts.org