Welcome to St. Marys Community Players production of Joanna McClelland Glass’ play “Trying”. This play is set in Georgetown, Washington DC between November 1967 and June 1968.

“Trying” is a revealing look at what happens between two people when the barriers that we all put up between us and other people are broken down and removed. Whether it is gender, age, social status, education, station in life or anything else we tend to use, we create distance from other people. Sarah Schorr is a young woman, who is trying to break through the wall that Judge Biddle has spent his lifetime building. When she finally succeeds, the result is an intimate glimpse of two people who have nothing in common and yet come to share some very special moments together.

Sarah Schorr is a 25-year-old girl from Saskatchewan, who has been hired by the wife of 82-year-old Judge Francis Biddle, to assist him in organizing his papers and experiences of a brilliant career in law and politics. Biddle had been Attorney General under Franklin D. Roosevelt and Chief Judge of the Nuremberg trials after the war. Over the course of the play, we watch the transition from the wall between them to their mutual respect for one another.

The playwright Joanna McClelland Glass was in reality Sarah Schorr and this play is based on her real life experience. I first saw this play about 10 years ago and it has intrigued me ever since. I do hope we can do justice to this magnificent work.

As is always the case with community theatre, nothing would happen without the efforts of all the people both on stage and behind the scenes. My philosophy has always been that these productions are a team effort and I appreciate the input from all cast and crew. To a job well done, I thank you all. And to you the audience, without you there would be no show. So my heartfelt thanks to you all.

Welcome and enjoy!