East Aurora Advertiser

Something Wicked is Coming to Aurora PlayersFree Access

Current Production of Bright Star Continues for Two More Weekends

Aurora Players is presenting a spooky staged reading as the next installment of its Readers Theater program: “Something Wicked” by local playwright James Marzo. This story has a rather unique twist: It’s based on local and rather macabre history. 

“Something Wicked” tells the story of the Thayer Brothers who murdered Englishman John Love in Boston, NY in December 1824. The brothers: Nelson, Israel and Isaac, were hanged for their crime in the city of Buffalo, on June 18, 1825. It was the only public execution ever to take place in New York State. 

“Over 25,000 people came from all over the Northeast and Southern Ontario, to witness the spectacle that became the execution of the Thayer Brothers for the murder of John Love. The execution ultimately brought notoriety to Buffalo, featuring the city and its accomplishments through the canal in a morbid, dark way,” Marzo said. 

Although the play contains fiction as well as fact, it’s the Thayers’ actions that intrigued Marzo. 

“The more I read about the Thayers in my research, the more I became fascinated with these tragic characters,” Marzo said. “In their twisted, macabre, dark and slightly comical way, they attempted to get away with murder.”

“Something Wicked” is a dark and somewhat black comedy at times, highlighting a strange piece of history that took place in our own backyard. The reading will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday Nov. 15 and 16. General admission is $5.

Bright Star Continues

The production of “Bright Star” will continue for two more weekends. The Aurora Players reports it might be the group’s best selling show ever.
The Nov. 1 & 2 shows are at 8 p.m. and the Nov. 3 show is 2:30 p.m. The Nov. 8 & 9 shows are at 8 p.m. For more details, click here.
Photos from the current production below

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