Small Mouth Sounds by Bess Wohl

The Salem State Theatre Department opens its season on October 20 with the Obie-Award winning play Small Mouth Sounds, written by Bess Wohl. The production runs two weekends, October 20 – 23 and October 27 –30 in the Sophia Gordon Center, 356 Lafayette Street. Thursday, October 27 is Salem Night with free admission for Salem residents. Tickets are available at salemstatetickets.com. Six strangers escape city life for a silent retreat in the woods to confront their inner demons. Led by an unseen and enigmatic wellness guru, the attendees vary from ardent devotees to total skeptics. In the isolation of the woods, they are offered the chance to break away from their troubles and find themselves through mindfulness, yoga practice, and, above all, silence. Attractive at first, these vows of silence become constraints when the students recognize what unites them: their achingly human need to connect. Absurdly funny and profoundly poignant, Small Mouth Sounds encourages us all to put down the phone and just be in the moment. Small Mouth Sounds is directed by Salem State theatre professor Alex Jacobs. The ensemble cast features Michelle Moran as Joan; Anya Saben as Judy, Trevor Hathaway as Ned, Michael Shifty Celestin as Rodney, Skylar Longley as Alicia, Ryan McCarthy as Jan, and Djessy Kungu as Teahcer. Contains adult content. Tickets are $15 for General Admission, $10 for seniors, and free for students (with Student ID) and people under 18. The October 20-22 and October 27-29 performances are at 7:30 pm. October 23 and 30 are 2 pm matinees.