Tag Archives: Jack Sherman

I Remember Roxy

Posted on June 28, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

And it’s another late post, but one can be late on Non-Sequitur Thursday, yes? Or will it be a Throwback Thursday? Once again, I resort to my Media Library.

He was so handsome.

I was just thinking about Roxy the other day. This was a play, beautifully researched and written by Jack Sherman and presented by Herkimer County Historical Society and Ilion Little Theatre in 2015. Wow, almost ten years ago. My late beloved husband Steven had several roles. This is him as Dr. Suiter. He was such a good actor and had quite a way with a monologue.

He had it coming.

I had the honor to portray Roxalana Druse, who killed her husband with a gun and an ax. She did not feed his body to the hogs, as legend has it, but tried to burn him up in the stove (the play doesn’t show that part). She may have had better luck with the hogs, because it was the nasty scent of burning body that first alerted the neighbors that something was wrong.

I thought the poster was cool.

The play had a huge cast of ILT regulars and newcomers. Things got a little crowded backstage and in the one dressing room, but we all got along, and I made a lot of new friends. That is the best part of community theatre: the friends we make. Come to think about it, that is the best part of life. Sorry to get a little sentimental, but one might as well say it.

So this is my theatre throwback post. I often do throw back to theatre memories, because community theatre is a big part of my life. I need to get back into a play. And finish writing that murder mystery I mentioned yesterday. At least I made my Thursday blog post. A little late, but over 300 words. Yay me? I hope so!

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Posted in humor, personal, Throwback Thursday and tagged blog post, blogging, community theatre, friends, herkimer county historical society, herkimer ny, husband Steven, Ilion Little Theatre, Ilion NY, Jack Sherman, late post, Media Library, murder mystery, Non Sequitur Thursday, preview of coming attractions, Roxalana Druse, Roxy, theatre. Bookmark the permalink.

Remember Roxy?

Posted on September 8, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

So there I was, trying to think of something to make a blog post about that was not whining about how I couldn’t make a blog post today or sharing pictures of monster movies, when I saw that a friend on Facebook had shared a memory from 2015, and I said, “Ah, Roxy.”

I’m being threatened by the guy with the ax, but don’t worry: I turn the tables on him.

This is a rehearsal shot from the play Roxy by Jack Sherman, that was presented by the Herkimer County Historical Society at Ilion Little Theatre in September of 2015. It concerns a famous local murderess, who was tried in the Herkimer County Courthouse and hanged behind the 1834 Jail. I played the title role. It was a large cast, and everybody had a chance to shine. It was quite the theatrical experience for all involved (I believe I wrote a few blog posts about it). Having downloaded the above photo for inclusion in today’s post, I typed “Roxy Ilion Little Theatre” into the Facebook search box to see what else I could find.

I didn’t really look like this, although I tried.

This is the poster. The Historical Society also had little magnets of it made up. I have one on my refrigerator now.

Isn’t he handsome?

This is my wonderful husband, Steven, who played four different roles. Here he portrays Dr. Suiter, who rather fancied himself as a forensic expert and had a lot to do with getting Roxy hanged. Thanks a lot, Steve!

That reward isn’t really being offered, so don’t go calling “America’s Most Wanted.”

A friend put this frame on a picture of me. As far as I remember, no reward was offered for Roxy’s capture, and she wasn’t that hard to take in anyways. If you want to know the real story of Roxalana Druse, I recommend James M. Greiner’s book, Last Woman Hanged. I said I was not going to be in any more plays for a while. Still, if anybody decided to stage a revival of Roxy… well, let’s just say I would take it under consideration.

Roxy Update

Posted on August 27, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

Rather than have Wuss-Out Wednesday, I shall provide a brief update on Roxy, the play being presented by the Herkimer County Historical Society at Ilion Little Theatre. Full disclosure: as opening night gets closer this blog may become All Roxy All The Time. For now we will content ourselves with an update.

For anyone who has missed my previous posts about the play, it is an original play, written by local author Jack Sherman, about a historical crime which happened right here in the Mohawk Valley. In 1884 in the Town of Warren, Roxalana Druse killed her husband, Bill, with a gun and an ax. She was later tried in the County Courthouse in Herkimer NY and hung in the 1834 Jail.

The story is set some 30 years after the murder. Roxy’s son, George, all grown up now, is telling the story to his daughter, Florence. It’s not like those old movies Steven likes to make fun of, where the whole thing is a big flashback. Rather, the action switches back and forth between the past and present, with Florence asking questions and remarking on the events. Sometimes within the past, the action goes even further back; as a character testifies in court, the murder is re-enacted.

At our rehearsal last night things seemed to be going very well. The transitions from present to past to re-enactment are getting smoother. Characters are being developed. It is beginning to feel like a play.

We have rehearsal again tonight and I fear I have not looked over my lines since yesterday. I should perhaps hit publish and do that. Roxy will be presented September 11, 12, 13, 18, 19 and 20, at 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, at Ilion Little Theatre, Remington Avenue, Ilion, NY. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students. For more information call 315-866-6413.

But I’m NOT a Method Actress!

Posted on August 13, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

I’m afraid this blog may become All Roxy All The Time sooner than one might expect. Opening night is one month from tomorrow. Plenty of time, you say? Perhaps. But it is difficult to concentrate on other things, especially on nights when we have rehearsal. And anyways, I thought of something new to talk about.

Roxy, for anybody just tuning in, is a play written by local author Jack Sherman about Roxalana Druse, who murdered her husband and was later hung for it at Herkimer County Jail. The play is being presented by Herkimer County Historical Society at Ilion Little Theatre. I play Roxy.

The historical society is going to great lengths to make the play authentic. They have biographical information on many of the characters. We have two costume designers who are striving to make the costumes true to the time period. And then there is the set…

Since Roxalana Druse was famously the last woman hung in New York State (James Greiner wrote a book about her called Last Woman Hanged: Roxalana Druse; good book, read it), one might expect to see a gallows in a play on the subject. So the historical society got a gallows. In fact, they got some folks at BOCES to build them a gallows just like the one used on the real Roxy.

These gallows were pretty interesting in and of themselves. They were called the Galloping Gallows, because they could be taken apart and moved. Herkimer County rented them for the occasion. Additionally, this was not a traditional gallows, where the condemned fell through a trap door. Instead, a weight was dropped, jerking the body upward. Who thinks of these things?

I have to confess, I am feeling just a little bit nervous about this contraption. I think it is a bit more realistic than is strictly necessary. How do I know the guy playing the sheriff won’t get a little carried away with his part on opening night? Do you suppose I should insist upon a stunt double?

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Posted in humor, personal, theater and tagged gallows, herkimer county, herkimer county historical society, Herkimer County Jail, Ilion Little Theatre, Jack Sherman, James Greiner, Roxalana Druse, Roxy. Bookmark the permalink.

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