This is a play about love, friendship, and finding the power to face what divides us. A moving drama laced with humor and heartache, A Good Farmer by Sharyn Rothstein is the story of two women—a farm owner and her unlikely best friend, an undocumented Mexican immigrant—fighting to survive in a small town divided by America’s immigration battle.
The cast includes Neena Boyle (Bonnie Johnson), William McHattie (David Johnson), Natalie Payán (Carla Gutierrez), Leah O’Hara (Rosemary Devlin), Angie Goode (Lu/Shirley Sender), Ryan Michael-Henzes (Gabe), and T. Patrick Ryan (Rich Parks). The production is directed by Scott Grumling.
Performances take place Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm, and Sunday matinees at 2:00pm. Tickets are available for purchase online. Performances take place in the Waterfront South Theatre (400 Jasper Street) in Camden, New Jersey.
Director Scott Grumling returns to South Camden Theatre Company after directing By The Water in September 2018. Previously, he also directed The Miss Firecracker Contest, the one-act play D-Day, Again for South Camden’s Shadows of War, and was a member of the cast of That Championship Season (James Daley). Scott has performed and directed in amateur and professional theaters in venues such as the New England Conservatory and the Boston Center for the Arts. Scott has twice won best actor at the ACT/CONN Annual Drama Festival. Favorite acting credits: Dr. Haggett, The Late Christopher Bean, Alan Turing, Breaking the Code; Arthur Kipps, The Woman in Black; Philip Mauritius; Georgina Pritt, The Temp; Judas, Godspell. Favorite directing credits: Philadelphia area premieres of Rasheeda Speaking and The Busy World is Hushed; Wit; Two Rooms; 26 Pebbles, Agnes of God; Massachusetts state premiere of Labor Day.
"I am honored to be directing another play written by Sharyn Rothstein," said Scott Grumling. "She tackles social and political issues without pushing a particular agenda or ideology onto the narrative of her work. Instead, she introduces us to and tells the story of characters that could be your friends or neighbors, bringing a specific and defined humanity to people who are affected by adverse circumstances."
Grumling continued, "Controversy surrounding the topic of immigration is not a recent development and has been a seemingly unsolvable issue for both Democratic and Republican administrations for decades. Playwright Sharyn Rothstein began work on this play about 20 years ago after seeing an article in the New York Times. The article reported that I.C.E. raids in a small farming town in upstate New York had created a culture of fear in the community and were turning neighbors against each other. Seven undocumented workers were detained and offered lesser sentences if they told officials that their employers were aware of their undocumented status, but the workers refused. This story prompted Sharyn to ponder: what ties must these workers have to their employer that they would protect the employer at their peril?"
When asked why Grumling has returned to SCTC, he said, "It brings me a tremendous feeling of pride to work with the talented, professional cast, and crew at SCTC. I am overjoyed to share this incredibly moving story and put a human face on this volatile topic, taking the audience on a journey beyond what is reported in today's many headlines."
