Pontine Presents THE DEVIL & DANIEL WEBSTER At Strawbery Banke Museum

February 9-11, Pontine Theatre presents Stephen Vincent Benet's celebrated story, The Devil & Daniel Webster, performed by guest artist, David PB Stephens. Performances take place at Strawbery Banke Museum located at 14 Hancock Street, Portsmouth NH. Tickets are $24 and may be purchased in advance online: www.pontine.org - Tickets may also be purchased at the door a half-hour prior to each show, based on availability. Performances are Friday at 7pm, Saturday at 4pm, and Sunday at 2pm. For information contact Pontine: info@pontine.org / 603-436-6660.

Hailed as an instant classic when published in 1936, Stephen Vincent Benet's The Devil & Daniel Webster stands in the front ranks of the great American short story.

A hard-luck New Hampshire farmer sells his soul to the Devil and then in contrition enlists the help of Daniel Webster, "...the Union's stay and New Hampshire's pride..." to win it back at trial. The Devil summons a judge and jury of the worst criminals and traitors from history, and Webster must convince them to set free their fellow man. Can he? "If two New Hampshiremen aren't a match for the devil," Daniel Webster says in the story, "we might as well give the country back to the Indians." The verdict is a testament to Benet's deep faith in the flawed beauty of the American journey.

Daniel Webster was a lawyer and famous orator who has a special connection to Portsmouth. He resided in here from 1807 to 1817 before moving to Boston. The house where he lived from 1814-1817 is now located on the grounds of Strawbery Banke Museum. Webster served as secretary of state under three presidents. and ran for president three times. His statue stands in front of the state capitol.
Guest Artist, David PB Stephens, was a member of Providence, RI's acting company at Trinity Repertory Company for seven years and a Visiting Artist in the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts' Arts in Education Program. His regional theater credits include the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, the American Reportory Theater, Charlotte Rep, Martha's Vineyard Playhouse and Yale Repertory Theatre.

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