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SPIRIT: The Authentic Story of the Bell Witch to return to Adams, TN

SPIRIT, The Authentic Story of the Bell Witch

Adams, TN – When there is a chill in the air and the full moon illuminates everything it touches, then you know its time for SPIRIT. There’s something about this time of year that huddles people together. They gather under worn out quilts, ’round an open bonfire, or near a single candle flickering in the dark to whisper of things they don’t understand.One such event that entertains that very idea is held, where else? In Adams, TN the home of the Bell Witch!

SPIRIT: The Authentic Story of the Bell Witch opens next weekend in Adams,Tn.

For the first time in Spirit’s run, some may say the stars have aligned and the past meets present when father and daughter will be portraying their direct ancestors John Bell and his daughter Betsy Bell, the two that were the focus of the Bell Witch torture.

The play was written by David Alford is a retelling of the paranormal events that occured to a young girl and her family between 1818 and 1820. This spirit would haunt and terrorize the Bell family, it sometimes spoke as a woman and would call herself Kate. Other times the spirit would make choking and gurgling noise or lash out in violence toward Betsy, the Bell’s daughter.It was an intelligent spirit. It could quote sermons being preached in the next town over, then turn around and sing bawdy bar tunes at the top of its lungs.

According to legend, news of the haunting even reached General Andrew Jackson who insisted on visiting the Bell farm to confront the spirit. His entourage was allegedly subjected to the spirit’s violent mischief, causing the General and his men to depart vowing never to return. Jackson was reportedly quoted later as saying, “I’d rather fight the British at New Orleans than deal with the Bell Witch.” – A Whisper of Smoke by Jason Zasky of Failure Magazine.

SPIRIT runs for two weekends Oct 20th-22nd and Oct. 27th-29th at 7:00pm on the grounds of the Adams School House in an open air pavilion you can purchase tickets on the grounds or online at http://www.bellwitchplay.com/tickets.html

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH_nJQ5fKkc[/youtube]

Map

7617 U.S. 41
Adams, TN 37010

About Community Spirit

The Production of SPIRIT would not be possible with out the efforts of Community Spirit Inc. A not-for-profit organization formed to produce this play annually. Their support is kept this project alive.

Officers

  • President – Kay Bagby
  • Vice President – Patti Gregory
  • Secretary – James H. Lindsey
  • Treasurer – Samuel L. Ramsey

Board Members

  • Sheri Alford
  • Mayor Omer Gene Brooksher
  • Dr. Rick Gregory
  • Sarah Head
  • Mary Nell Lindsey
  • Mary Mantooth
  • Josh Mason
  • Sandy Ramsey
  • Julie Rullmann
  • Robert H. Bell III, Emeritus
    Carney Bell, Emeritus

About David Alford

Director, David Alford

Playwright David Alford is a native and resident of Adams, Tennessee. He graduated from Martin Methodist College (A.A.) and Austin Peay State University (B.S) before attending the Juilliard School for Drama at Lincoln Center in New York City, where he was awarded the Saint-Denis Prize upon graduation in 1991.

In 1994 he was awarded a Fox Fellowship for the foundation of Mockingbird Theatre in Nashville, a professional non-profit company that he served as Artistic Director until 2004.

From 2004-2007 he was Executive Artistic Director of Tennessee Repertory Theatre in Nashville, the state’s largest professional theatre company.

He currently serves as Director of Drama Programs at Martin Methodist College in Pulaski, TN.

His plays include SPIRIT: THE AUTHENTIC STORY OF THE BELL WITCH OF TENNESSEE, GHOSTLIGHT (produced by Mockingbird Theatre, 2003), a stage adaptation of Alan Lightman’s EINSTEIN’S DREAMS (produced by Peoples Branch Theatre, 2001), the short play THE BOX and CLARA’S HANDS (work-in-progress for Tennessee Rep). Produced screenplays include ON MUSIC ROW (for CMT, winner, Nashville Independent Film Festival), PRISONER (2004, finalist in HBO’s Project Greenlight competition, which he also co-directed), ADRENALINE (2005) and HAVOC (Amylase Independent, 2007), both films in which he also starred.

He has directed numerous theatre projects, including the above mentioned SPIRIT and EINSTEIN’S DREAMS. Recent directing credits for Tennessee Rep include THE DRAWER BOY, INHERIT THE WIND, THE SANTALAND DIARIES, and DEARLY DEPARTED, IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, and THE WINTER’S TALE, for the Nashville Shakespeare Festival. He recently completed directing GUYS AND DOLLS in Rome, Georgia, and in June 2008 will direct and star in THE TEMPEST at the Arkansas Shakespeare Festival.

Perhaps best known as an actor, David has appeared in over fifty professional theatre productions.  Screen credits include the above mentioned ON MUSIC ROW, HAVOC, ADRENALINE (a film done in one 88-minute continuous shot), THE SECOND CHANCE (Sony Pictures), THE LAST CASTLE (Dreamworks), and A DEATH IN THE FAMILY (PBS/Masterpiece Theatre). He also appeared recently in a Tennessee Lottery Commercial as a winner giving away an RV. Unfortunately, he was just acting.

Beth Britton
Beth Brittonhttp://www.haute4momma@blogspot.com
Beth Britton is a stay-at-home mom and freelance writer .She has been a contributing author with Clarksville Online since 2008.
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