To Tread Among Serpents by Kelly McBurnette-Andronicos

Semi-Finalist - O'Neill

FULL LENGTH - In the summer of 1959, an ambitious magazine reporter is sent deep into Southern Appalachia to cover the gruesome ax murders of two men. The killer, a religious snake handler with shady connections to organized crime, embraces the writer’s strategy to remake her into a sexy, celebrity-like cover girl. An escalating battle for control emerges when the...
Semi-Finalist - O'Neill

FULL LENGTH - In the summer of 1959, an ambitious magazine reporter is sent deep into Southern Appalachia to cover the gruesome ax murders of two men. The killer, a religious snake handler with shady connections to organized crime, embraces the writer’s strategy to remake her into a sexy, celebrity-like cover girl. An escalating battle for control emerges when the women’s dual pursuit of illicit wealth and lurid public adoration brings out the Devil in them both.
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To Tread Among Serpents

Recommended by

  • Doug DeVita:
    31 Mar. 2021
    “ Purple prose and yellow journalism are used to deliciously lurid effect in this endlessly fascinating southern gothic mystery/thriller. McBurnette-Andronicos builds the tension slowly and surely, every now and then throwing in a curve ball to keep us off balance, and ultimately delivers a completely satisfying, sensationally entertaining piece of period Americana, except this sure as hell ain’t Mayberry. I loved every colorful word. ”
  • Cheryl Bear:
    4 Feb. 2021
    “ A powerful look into how the media uncovers the truth and then sensationalizes and distorts it for self interest. How does this form of justice look? Excellent. ”
  • Molly Wagner:
    8 Oct. 2020
    “ Captivating, thrilling, and filled with suspense TO TREAD AMONG SERPENTS is a fascinating examination of our obsession with true crime and the stories that we are most interested in believing rather than what could be taken as truth. The characters are specific and compelling and the setting of the piece is so distinct it almost becomes it's own character. ”
View all 10 recommendations

CHARACTERS
(5 Characters/4 Actors)

VIOLET HAIGHT: Pig farmer and murder suspect. White, female.

JUANITA “JC” COHEN: Ambitious New York reporter. White, female.

JANITOR: Low-level hustler working the county jail. African American, female.

JASPER “JUNIOR” SCROGGINS: Small town sheriff. White, male.

LULU LEMOINE (played by the actor playing the JANITOR): West Coast attorney and granddaughter of the janitor. African American, female.

CHORUS
A small chorus to serve as the recorded radio voices and live offstage voices of inmates, worshipers, crowds, judge, juror, courtroom participants, etc.

Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    Clamour Theatre
    ,
    2020
  • Reading
    ,
    Barter Theatre
    ,
    2016
  • Reading
    ,
    Civic Theatre of Greater Lafayette
    ,
    2014

Production History

  • University
    ,
    Jacksonville State University
    ,
    2015

Awards

Finalist
,
TNT POPS! New Play Project
,
Texas Nonprofit Theatres
,
2016
Semi-Finalist
,
O'Neill National Playwrights Conference
,
Eugene O'Neill Theater Center
,
2016
Dionysia New Play Competition
,
Khaos Company Theatre
,
2015
Finalist
,
The Green House
,
Strange Sun Theatre
,
2015
Semi-Finalist
,
Dionysos Cup Festival of New Plays
,
Polarity Ensemble Theatre
,
2015
Semi-Finalist
,
New American Voices Play Reading Series
,
The Landing Theatre Company
,
2015
Semi-Finalist
,
New Play Festival
,
Centre Stage
,
2015
Semi-Finalist
,
New Play Reading Series
,
New Origins Theatre Company
,
2015
Winner
,
World Premiere Staged Reading of a New Play
,
Civic Theatre of Greater Lafayette
,
2014
Finalist
,
Summer Scribes Series
,
12 Peers Theatre
,
2014
Semi-Finalist
,
Br!nk Award
,
Renaissance Theaterworks
,
2014
Winner
,
Southern Playwrights Competition
,
Jacksonville State University
,
2014