Metropolitan Playhouse
Virtual Playhouse
Presents
A Screened Reading
of

THE VALIANT

Written by HOLWORTHY HALL & ROBERT MIDDLEMASS

Directed by CHERYL BLACK

Starring
JOHN OTTAVINO & BRYSON BRUCE

Featuring
DEWEY CADDELL, JOSEPH J. MENINO, & DeANNA SUPPLEE

Graphic Settings by VINCENT GUNN

Talkback with CHERYL BLACK, Professor of Theater (emeritus), the University of Missouri

www.metropolitanplayhose.org/virtualplayhouse

February 27, 2021, 8 p.m.

This is one great story. First published in 1921, it is timeless. The plot grips you immediately and never eases up. A hit when it was written, it played on stages throughout the country, on radio, then twice on film. It definitely could be a drama shown on the old “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” TV show. Mystery, suspense, and mighty good acting make this a must-see.

Confessed murderer James Dyke awaits his midnight hanging. He shows no remorse, no shame. He is calm. He deserves to die, but trusts in God, who will be his Final Judge. It was a righteous killing, he says. That’s all we know.

Before we meet him, we spend time with the prison priest and the warden. Both are deeply disturbed by the whole situation. For some reason they don’t understand, they feel for this man. He has never revealed his real name or background. People have written from all over the world, hoping that he is their lost son or missing husband. “Dyke” insists that he has no family or friends. They can’t shake him, no matter what ploys they use. He is a mystery man. His case has gone viral, as we would say. The public is fascinated.

The phone rings. It’s the Governor! He orders that the execution be delayed for bit. A girl is on her way to the prison. She believes that Dyke may be her brother. Dyke is brought to the warden’s office. Enter the young lady, who has not seen her older brother since she was a child. She may or may not recognize him, but is optimistic. Left alone, they have a lovely conversation. He sympathizes with her, but says no, he has no sisters. Yet we continue to hope.

BRYSON BRUCE (Thomas Jefferson in the national tour of Hamilton) knocks it out of the park as Dyke. He doesn’t need words to make us embrace him, care about his fate, hope for some magical outcome. Wow. Broadway’s JOHN OTTAVINO is flawless as the warden. DeANNA SUPPLEE is charming as the hopeful young lady.

Metropolitan Playhouse has outdone itself. This production of THE VALIENT is a classic.

-Karen D’Onofrio-