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| | From This Day Forward
July 11 - August 9
Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00 pm
Written by Fred Cranford
The summer of 2025 will mark the 57th season of the Old Colony Player's flagship production. This drama tells the story of the Waldenses, a people from the area known as the Cottian Alps in Northern Italy near the French border, and the founders of the Town of Valdese.
The History Behind the Drama
The Waldensians are a pre-reformation reformed sect of Christianity. They believed in the priesthood of all believers, translating the scripture into the "common" languages of the people of the day and encouraging education so that all people could read the Bible for themselves. A simple people, they were dedicated to taking care of the poor and justice for the oppressed. The Waldensian Community was excommunicated by the Catholic Church in 1184 at the Synod of Verona. Pope Innocent the 3rd went even further in 1215 declaring all Waldensians heretics. Forced to renounce their religious stances or flee, the small community of believers sought refuge in the Cottian Alps, where life was somewhat protected by the rugged landscape and isolation. Even so, the Waldenses were heavily persecuted by both the Catholic Church and the Reigning Monarchs throughout the region. Perhaps one of the bloodiest episodes in the history of their faith was in 1655 in a series of persecutions known as the Piedmontese Easter. In this series of massacres it is said that thousands of Waldensians were murdered for their faith. It is a mere 30 years later that our play begins. Total annihilation of the Waldensian Faith was the aim, yet throughout all the years of persecution, their faith remained and grew stronger. This is the backdrop to our story. | Buy Tickets |
| | Nightfall
With Edgar Allan Poe
by Eric Coble
October 16-19
Produced through special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc.
Edgar Allan Poe stands alone in the flickering darkness of his mind, trying desperately to convince himself -- and us -- that he's not mad. The spell he weaves brings us a highly theatrical adaptation of four tales Poe himself considered his best: "The Raven," "The Fall of the House of Usher," "The Pit and the Pendulum," and "The Tell-Tale Heart."
Enter the world of Poe and check your heartbeat at the door.
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| | The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!
by Barbara Robinson
December 4, 5, 6, at 7:30 and December 6 and 7 at 2:30 pm
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever follows the Herdman siblings, known for being the "worst kids in the world," as they disrupt the annual Christmas pageant in their small town. Their mischievous antics and unexpected interpretations of the Christmas story initially shock the community, but ultimately, they teach everyone, including themselves, the true meaning of Christmas.
Produced through special arrangement with Concord Theatricals
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