Du, played by Liz Wright (left), comforts Keely, played by Nicole Matteucci, in the department of theatre's production of "Keely and Du." Click on image to download print-quality version

GRANTHAM, Pa. (March 7, 2007) — Messiah College’s department of theatre will perform “Keely and Du,” playwright Jane Martin’s drama of one girl’s struggle with the issue of abortion. Directed by senior theatre major Timothy Metzner, the play seeks to establish a human connection among widely different ethical and religious views. “Keely and Du” runs from March 29-31, with an 8 p.m. performance each night in Miller Auditorium, located in Climenhaga Fine Arts Center on the college’s Grantham campus. A talk-back session about the play's themes will be held after the March 30 performance.  The play contains adult themes and the content and language may not be suitable for all audiences. Tickets cost $10 and may be purchased by calling the ticket office at (717) 691-6036.

About the performance

“‘Keely and Du’ offers a multiplicity of views on the topic that run the entire spectrum, and it fully explores the numerous opinions surrounding abortion,” says Metzner. In many ways, in its multiplicity, “Keely and Du” cannot avoid creating discussion. Critics have commented on the play’s ability to raise questions without touting definite answers, promoting further thought and evaluation of one’s own position. The play’s title characters, originally at odds because of their differing views, challenge each other through continuing interaction and dialogue to examine their beliefs, and audiences usually experience the same challenge.

In the play, a Christian organization kidnaps Keely, a pregnant woman, from an abortion clinic. She is held in a basement with the intent of saving the life of her unborn child. The interactions that follow (between Keely; her ex-husband; a Midwest pastor; and Du, an older woman who cares for Keely) make up the body of the play, raising the questions the audience must try to answer.

About the playwright

Although “Keely and Du,” along with more than 10 other full-length plays, was presented as a work of the playwright Jane Martin, the actual identity of its author remains a mystery. Despite being nominated for a Pulitzer and winning the American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award two times, Martin—whomever she may be—has never been identified. No fan has seen an interview; she has made no public appearances; and no pictures of her have been seen. In the 20 years of her simultaneous fame and anonymity, she has come to be called, “America’s best known unknown playwright.”

The popular (and the only) theory is that Jane Martin is really the pseudonym of Jon Jory, the retired director who has served as her spokesman and received her awards on her behalf. Jory himself denies this and claims that Martin is a resident of Kentucky who wishes to avoid entrance into the public sphere. “Whoever writes these plays feels that they would be unable to write them if [their identity] was made public knowledge,” Jory has explained. However, many in the theatre community point to the coincidental fact that nearly all Martin’s plays have premiered at Jory’s theatre (The Actor’s Theatre of Louisville), and have been directed by him. With this evidence, they argue for the likelihood of Jory using Martin as a decoy tactic to gain publicity for what are actually his own plays. It’s worked—whether concocted pseudonym or shy Southerner, the mystery surrounding Jane Martin and her plays has captivated America and continues to lend her works an incredible appeal.

About Messiah College

Messiah College, a private Christian college of the liberal and applied arts and sciences, enrolls more than 2,800 undergraduate students in 60 majors. Established in 1909, the primary campus is located in Grantham, Pa., near the state capital of Harrisburg. A satellite campus affiliated with Temple University is located in Philadelphia.