Rawlings story told in My Friend Zelma

Jean Rahner reported to St. Augustine local news reporters that the final production of A Classic Theatre’s season opens Tuesday, March 30th with My Friend Zelma: The Trial of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings.

This production is of special historic interest to our region of Florida. Written by Dr. Michael Gannon, UF distinguished professor emeritus of history, the play’s characters are based on real people and the content has been taken from actual transcripts of the 1946 trial, which drew national attention.

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings was a Pulitzer-winning author who lived in rural Cross Creek, Florida as well as having a home in Crescent Beach. She wrote novels and stories focusing on rural themes, including The Yearling and Cross Creek. In her novel, Cross Creek, Mrs. Rawlings mentioned her good friend Zelma Cason. Cason did not like the description given of her and sued Mrs. Rawlings for invasion of privacy.

The Cross Creek home of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings is now a Historic State Park, part of Florida State Parks. It has been maintained as it was when Rawlings lived and wrote there and is open for school tours as well as the general public.

Director Deborah Dickey is a graduate of UF with a MFA in Acting and Directing. She comes to St. Augustine from a seven-year stint at the University of Arizona in Tucson where she taught directing in addition to many other theater courses.

The cast features Nancy Grote as Marjorie K. Rawlings and Margaret Kaler as Zelma Cason; and includes Don Runk, Kelly McTaggart, Lawrence Hession, Mike Bon Durant, Jack Parsons, Daniel Osofsky, Holly Mulkey, William Y. Adams, Roger Burgett, Rich Curran Kelley, Claudia Dencer, Tasha Lamarre, Jean Rahner, Carol Mandel, Nancy Arico, Krista Tutor, Walter Scott, and George Gardner as the Judge.

Performances are scheduled on Tuesdays; April 6th, 13th and 20th at 7:30 p.m. in the Limelight Theatre’s Studio Theater at 11 Old Mission Avenue, uptown St. Augustine. Tickets are $20 with discounts available for seniors, military, students and groups. For reservations, call 904-829-5807.