Christine Dye as Jerry Sandusky’s wife, Dottie, in Kevin Crowley’s SARGE.
Can a person be so close to evil it leaves them blind? This question and others are examined in the new play “SARGE” premiering at the 2014 Cincinnati Film Festival The play and its title character were inspired by the recent headlines surrounding football coach Jerry Sandusky.
Jerry Sandusky’s wife, Dottie is re-imagined in monologues. In the Jerry Sandusky scandal, one figure remains the most enigmatic to the public, his wife, Dottie, or Sarge, as she was known. People tend to dismiss her as complicit, a liar, naive or delusional. “Sarge”, imagines her in three settings over the course of a year as the Sandusky scandal plays out. The play is the work of actor/writer and director Kevin Crowley, who when not acting on the silver screen, calls the Clifton Performance Theatre home. Crowley explains how he was drawn to the subject as soon as it hit the headlines, “I was very interested in this case from the beginning. I became particularly drawn to Jerry Sandusky’s wife as she continues, to this day, to defend him and deride anyone who believes his guilt. It hardly seemed possible that 40 plus accusers could be wrong therefore denial must become it’s own form of reality. I read as much as I could find out about the actual couple and then created, or reimagined, a fictional version of Dorothy in three different settings.”
Crowley has created a script that leaves one grasping at every word from the title character, looking for a moment to lay blame. Crowley says he does not want the story to provide answers, “I never wanted to make anyone love or hate her. I really just wanted to know, for my own edification, what was it like to be in that situation as the wheels came off their life together. But as I wrote, I grew incredibly empathetic towards her and believe you need to separate her from her husbands actions.” The words are carefully crafted and presented with great precision by actress Christine Dye. Dye’s turn as the tough den mother to wayward boys takes you on a roller coaster ride of emotions. Dye explains, “I suppose some people will feel sorry for her, while others may think she’s a fool for not realizing what is happening under her roof, under her very nose. One cannot help but feel empathy for someone whose whole life implodes by the actions of another, yet in that same vein, the audience may question why she didn’t take action to prevent it. Kevin has written a wonderful and deeply moving play about a woman whose inability to recognize the signs of disaster, ultimately leads to her own destruction.” Is she villain, victim or both? Find out for yourself when the play opens at the Cincinnati Fringe Festival May 29. http://www.cincyfringe.com/performance/sarge/
Venue Art Academy Auditorium
- Thur, May 29 @ 7:00 pm
- Sat, May 31 @ 5:00 pm
- Mon, June 2 @ 7:15 pm
- Wed, June 4 @ 7:15 pm
- Fri, June 6 @ 7:00 pm
Behind the Curtain Cincinnati 