Scorched Earth*
May 1Jun 1, 1991
By John Logan

Director

Dennis Zacek

Playwright

John Logan

Cast

John Cardone: Gerry
James Krag: Billy
Martha Lavey: Martha
Rebecca MacLean: Becky

Summary

A young man named Billy is running for Cook County Board president; he’s been groomed for politics by his father, a conservative Democrat with past ties to Senator Joseph McCarthy, and as part of his grooming Billy has dropped the semiradical ideals he once espoused.
Contrasted with Billy is his ex-girlfriend Martha, a leftist lawyer disillusioned with the world around her and racked by the internal conflict between her principles and her passions. Assigned to defend a serial killer named Jackson, she seeks Billy’s backing in her fight against Jackson’s impending execution. After all, Billy shares her conviction that the death penalty’s wrong–or at least he did. Billy, predictably, waffles on the matter–his law-and-order Republican opponent is charging him with being soft on crime. Billy’s flip-flop further enflames his relationship with Martha, who’s already bitter that he dropped her for Becky, a “Hallmark card” blond who also happens to be Martha’s best friend. (Source credited: http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/scorched-earth/Content?oid=877749)

Production Team

Dennis Zacek: Director
Morgan Jenness: Dramaturg
Chris Fitzgerald: Production Manager
Galen G. Ramsey: Stage Manager
Chuck Drury: Set Design
Marsha Kowal: Costume Design
Robert Shook: Light Design
Michael Mortimer: Master Electrician
Willy Steele: Carpenter