CHARLES DARWIN, HER TRUE STORY by J. Lynn Jackson

It's January 1, 2001 in southern Chile. Charles Darwin, Salvador Dobé and three ghosts appear shipwrecked on a shrinking patch of ice, with little more than a gun, a knife and clashing survival strategies.

The ghosts and habit drive Charles, a wealthy philanthropist and clandestine patron of revolutions, to take action, do whatever it takes to survive. Salvador, all too familiar with thin ice, needs Charles to do nothing. To keep Charles calm and alert for rescue, Salvador gets Charles to tell stories. As Charles flashes back to sketchy relations with Frida Kahlo, Fidel Castro, and other revolutionary icons, the ghosts help unveil a festering grief shared by the apparent strangers. Only the fittest one survives and to live on, must confess and accept what happened.

The play shows how survival skills can ultimately backfire if overused, and can delude one’s sense of self – values, beliefs, bonds, truths, and loves.

Charles Darwin, Her True Story was one of four plays selected via a national search by North Star for their 2020 New Plays Workshop Intensive.

SIGN UP: MARCH 29TH MEMBER OPEN PLAY SHOWCASE

WHAT IS A MEMBER OPEN PLAY SHOWCASE?

A Member Open Play Showcase is a script feedback option for Member playwrights with a further developed draft of their play. The playwright may invite friends, family, or collaborators to perform an informal reading for the group.

Like our standard Member Open Play readings, the Center does not hire actors, directors, or dramaturgs. Each session is dedicated to one PWC member to have their full-length, one-act, or short play read. Members must participate in more than half the member open plays in a year to be considered for a Member Open Play Showcase.

Attendance is open to anyone, but only members with consistent attendance may have their plays showcased.

There's no script to download for this session. You get to just sit back and listen.

HOW TO JOIN

You may join via webcam through their computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. We use Zoom for virtual participation, but a participant does not need to have an account to join. Be prepared to join via webcam. Please keep in mind that any background noise will be distracting, so please wear a headset or earbuds with a built-in microphone. Fifteen minutes prior to the start of the session, you may click this link to participate online. Once you've clicked the link, you may also need to request to join the meeting. If you have any difficulty joining, you can email alaynab@pwcenter.org.

*NOTE: Please be aware of the time difference (we are in the Central Standard Time zone).