BY JO KADLECEK
It’s the early 1920s, and New York City is alive with possibilities. As new ideologies collide with traditional morals, a young generation of writers tries to discover their voice. Communist reporter Mike Gold, playwright Eugene O’Neill and socialist writer Dorothy Day are friends and drinking buddies at the “Hell Hole Bar” on New York’s lower east side. But their futures are as uncertain and daunting as the city streets crowded with new immigrants, suffragettes, and exploited workers. Dorothy is drawn to the protests and ultimately, to a passionate love affair with an atheist that leads her to an astonishing decision few understand: she becomes a Catholic.
Based on historic events and actual writings from Day’s works, “Hell Hole” is a two-act play that explores the dynamic spiritual journey of an American woman and Catholic leader whose impact is still felt around the world. Just five years after her costly decision, the Great Depression ushered in a devastating economic collapse across the U.S. In response, Day co-founded the Catholic Worker, a grass-roots movement of justice and soup kitchens for the urban poor that exists today in 216 communities across the U.S. and in 14 countries, including Australia. Day is currently a candidate for sainthood in the Catholic Church, which would no doubt have horrified her.
Creative Development & Staged Reading
Hub Studios and Brand X
2018
CREATIVE TEAM
CAST
Director Hailey McQueen
Stage Management Rebecca Lang
Writer Jo Kadlecek
Yannick Lawry as Mike Gold
Imogen Morgan as Dorothy Day
Grace Naoum as Woman in Cell/ Christine
Murray Lambert as Eugene O'Neill
Jasper Garner-Gore as Forster
Alison Chambers as Sister Alouicia
Julian Lawrence as Police Officer
