The Rimers of Eldritch
at Duke Ellington School of the Arts

Reviewed on April 13, 2018

Aubrey Winger
Loudoun Valley High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

Ragged burlap frames the stage of Duke Ellington School of the Arts, inviting the audience into a haunting world of mystery and murder. Secrets lurk in every faded storefront and dilapidated building, corrupting their occupants with unwanted knowledge. Yet the question remains: "Who was killed, and who is to blame for the crime?"

An intimate examination of the inhabitants of a deteriorating Midwestern town, The Rimers of Eldritch originated Off-Broadway in 1966. Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lanford Wilson, this production centers around the murder of local hermit Skelly Mannor, gradually leading the audience to piece together the circumstances surrounding his death.

Coby Jackson was completely transformed into Skelly Mannor, the ancient boogeyman of Eldritch. His broken gait, ragged appearance, and animalistic mannerisms immediately set him apart from the rest of the cast. A master of storytelling, Skelly delivered his monologue at the beginning of Act Two with a sincerity that allowed the audience to see past his monstrous appearance.

Eva Jackson (Tatiyana Alvarez) and Robert Conklin (Nathaniel Miles-Mclean) blossomed as they became each other's complete confidant. Their teasing and childish playfulness immediately established their innocence, contrasting with the older members of the town. Eva's wild fantasies captivated Robert, who was stifled by fear of sharing his brother's fate. However, as Robert discovered darkness within himself, he transformed, ultimately committing a truly heinous deed.

Martha Truit (Ira Lindsay) and Wilma Atkins (Shane Royster) perfectly embodied the nosy old women who spend their days on the porches of every small Midwestern town. They hobbled back and forth from their rocking chairs, eagerly relaying the newest town gossip in crotchety character voices.

Although Kathleen Warner could have easily fallen into the stereotype of a superficial teenager, she allowed her vulnerability to shine in the role of red-haired vixen Patsy Johnson. Every so often her judgmental sneer wavered, revealing the deep insecurities of her character. Her brother Josh Johnson (Mitchell Adams) delivered his lines with the same level of confidence, whether he was mercilessly bullying Skelly or fooling around with his girlfriend.

Roy Lightfoot approached the role of a traditional Baptist preacher with an indescribable fervor, spouting Bible verses and leading the ensemble in beautiful Southern hymns such as "Wade in the Water".

The cast worked like a well-oiled machine, accentuating vital moments with subtle choreography and effortlessly transitioning from song to spoken word instantaneously. Although most scenes were only centered on a few actors at a time, the rest of the characters remained on stage, playing through their daily lives in flawless pantomime.

In the spirit of speaking the truth, an important theme in the show, the marketing team created the "MYTRUTH" campaign. This effort empowered young leaders in organizations such as Big Brothers and Big Sisters by inviting them to experience the show as VIP guests.

Duke Ellington's cast of The Rimers of Eldritch tackled this piece with an astonishing level of poise and maturity. They gave themselves to the story, becoming nearly indistinguishable from the characters they played. Nothing was held back in this harrowing masterpiece, leaving the audience with a moral enigma even more complex than that of Skelly Manor's demise.

Sonia Chandra
Stone Bridge High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

In autumn, frost covers everything. Some years, it is so thick that the sun's reflection is blinding, able to hide the decay underneath. This layer of rime is no different than the collective moralism that the town folk of Eldritch use to gild inconvenient truths with comfortable lies. The Rimers of Eldritch is a play as ridden with symbolism as its title. Told in a nonlinear style of narrative, it focuses on the aftermath of a sexual assault and subsequent murder in a small, closely-knit town. But who was assaulted and who was killed? Moreover, who were the perpetrators of the crimes?

Duke Ellington School for the Arts did not have any emotional or physical inhibitions when performing this show. The cast was filled with incredibly talented storytellers who deftly handled the unusual style of play. They left the audience in suspense the entire show and their immense maturity was apparent in the way that they believably and respectfully portrayed even the most shocking scenes.

The Rimers of Eldritch, like Our Town, is very much an ensemble play about life in a town that was once a boomtown and is now desolate. As such, each role is magnified because every character is fighting their own battle. Even so, there were some standout roles.

Skelly Mannor, played by Coby Jackson, was an old cripple who was no more than a pest. Jackson played the role with incredible physicality, relying almost entirely on his crutches to get around for the entire play. Beyond this dedication, he also portrayed Skelly with fantastic believability. The duo of Robert Conklin, played by Nathaniel Miles-McLean, and Eva Jackson, played by Tatiana Alvarez, was also incredibly well done. They showed the delicateness of childhood infatuation and how it could crack in an instant. Another transitory role was Patsy Johnson, played by Kathleen Warner. She was a paragon of teenage angst and wanderlust, showing subtlety in role that could have easily been hyperbolized.

In a play with such serious subject matter, moments of levity were greatly appreciated. Such moments in The Rimers of Eldritch were handled with grace and good timing. Some prominently featured comedic characters included the gossiping old ladies (played by Ira Lindsay and Shane Royster) and Patsy's brother Josh (played by Mitchell Adams). These characters startled laughter out of an audience during an otherwise dark show. It is a testament to the actors and actresses that they were able to do so.

The Rimers of Eldritch has a Gordian plot. It is a dense play filled with unrighteousness both explicitly shown and implied. Duke Ellington School for the Arts tackled this difficult show with the dignity and weight it demanded. The audience was breathless from start to finish.

Lily Perez
Woodrow Wilson Senior High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

A town stuck in a dichotomy of old and new - generations and values- reaches a crossroads in "The Rimers of Eldritch", realized in a stirring production by Duke Ellington School of the Arts. The titular Eldritch's residents, facing economic and social decline as they turn from a coal town to a ghost town, wage war on each other's ideologies, their weapons being slander and gossip, and the true victims being those who are deeply ostracized for not conforming to any social standard. After an instigating event which causes those outcasts to be turned on in order to lay the blame, the townspeople's behavior becomes indicative of the insensitiveness which dominates the town's culture. The cast of Duke Ellington's production took on the challenge of a production which eschews a linear narrative so as to slowly expose the cruelties which lie beneath Eldritch's humble facade.

Woven into the fabric of "Eldritch"'s plot was Coby Jackson's Skelly Manor, an oft alluded to figure of urban legend in the town. Jackson's authentic portrayal, burgeoned by commited use of physicality and vocal timbre to embody the long-suffering vagabond, served as the moral center of the production around which the at times deeply manipulative other characters pivoted. Equally genuine was Tatiyana Alvarez' Eva Jackson, whose slow development of confidence and eagerness made all the more heartbreaking later developments of the plot. Nathaniel Miles-Mclean as Robert Conklin and Kathleen Warner as Patsy Johnson spoke volumes through unilateral forms of expression- the former through subtle characterization which laid the groundwork excellently for his actions, and the latter through words which conveyed nothing of the anguished emotions, embroiled in teenage angst and ambition, which were hidden behind her facial expressions.

Self-selected as the jury to those character's actions was the congregation of Edricht- led by the passionate Roy Lightfoot as the Preacher/Judge, they sang and danced triumphantly about their moral superiority with vibrant renditions of Christian hymns that stood in juxtaposition to their cruel treatment of each other. Adding to this appraisal were Ira Lindsay and Shane Royster as Martha Truitt and Wilma Atkins, respectively, old women whose role as onlookers was a comedic offset to bitter criticism from other members of society, though no less judgemental.

Positioned on various parts of an intricate scaffolding which consisted of the production's set, the actors were often present onstage long after their scene had concluded, continuing to live and react through their characters. The effect was such that the lives of these characters went beyond the scope of the play, deepening their motives in speaking or denying their truths in the story. It was around this concept that students structured their My Truth campaign, a poignant reflection of the productions themes which encourages youths to adhere to their own personal values as opposed to dominant beliefs.

Through cohesion and rich artistry, the cast of Duke Ellington's "The Rimers of Eldritch" crafted a production in which a startling mosaic of a small town was created through intricate plot developments and characterization. As if with rime, they conveyed, the town was covered in secrets.

Hunter Slingbaum
James Madison High School
Submitted for publication to Georgetowner

The American ghost town; a desolate husk of a home, abandoned by life for the thriving of the tumbleweed. You could describe the town of Eldritch as such, though in certain ways, you couldn't miss the mark further. Duke Ellington School of the Arts took this small Missouri town by the collar, dragging it onto their stage and aisles with so much force that the audience couldn't help but feel that they were seeing something they weren't supposed to see. "The Rimers of Eldritch" is an exploration of secrets, religion, age, and the crawling death of a town, and Duke Ellington couldn't have captured it more boldly.

The play was written by Lanford Wilson and first premiered in 1966 at the La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, quickly garnering a 1967 Drama Desk Award. The story revolves around the town of Eldritch-a fading ghost town in Missouri-and its residents. While one may argue that the play focuses more on themes than plot, an essential plotline in the story involves the death of an outcast named Skelly Mannor. Attempting to prevent the rape of Eva Jackson, Skelly was shot to death as he was mistaken for the rapist himself. "The Rimers of Eldritch" explores this event and many surrounding it with great intensity and via non-linear storytelling.

As Skelly Mannor, Coby Jackson didn't resemble a high school student whatsoever. He resolutely portrayed an aging, crippled man through his distinct vocalization, erratic movements, and dependence on his arm crutches. Even as he hobbled down the aisles, his frequent collapses demonstrated that he never abandoned his character for a second. Additionally, during his main monologue, he swiftly captivated the whole room, making what was likely a ten minute speech feel like mere seconds.

Another remarkable player in the show was Tatiyana Alvarez, playing the role of Eva Jackson. She reached for the opposite end of the spectrum, displaying youth and innocence with ease. Most impressive was the relationship she developed with Robert Conklin, as for most of the play, it captured the beauty of a naïve connection between two kids. Also astounding was her manifestation of trauma during the courtroom scene. The vast difference between her carefree, adventurous spirit and her beaten down state instantly snatched the hearts of the audience.

Speaking of Robert Conklin, Nathaniel Miles-McLean couldn't have created a more dynamic character with the lines he was given. Initially coming off as a misunderstood kid that enjoyed spending time with Eva, you could view the cracks forming in his resolve up until the moment he held Eva down to take her virginity by force. Even as the courtroom scene appeared repeatedly, Robert only emerged at the very end of the play, and Nathaniel's shift in movements and tone were undeniably chilling. Besides these primary characters, the entire play was brimming with talent, from the hilarious, grandmotherly duo of Martha Truit (Ira Lindsay) and Wilma Atkins (Shane Royster), to the seemingly stereotypical, but shockingly caring Patsy Johnson (Kathleen Warner).

The ensemble carried the show just as much as the leading characters. With their constant out of light movement, rhythmic stomping, and their passionate singing, the stage never felt like a tool for a play; it was a living, breathing town.

"The Rimers of Eldritch" is a story about many things, far too many for someone to pick up at first glance. Despite this, it was easy to tell that Duke Ellington demonstrated every one with precise excellence. To fully appreciate the art of this show, one must make the trip back to Duke Ellington to see the story unfold on stage once more.