BAD SEED to be Presented at Players Club of Swarthmore

PCS Theater at Players Club of Swarthmore will present BAD SEED, a psychological drama by Maxwell Anderson, adapted from William March's acclaimed novel. Presented through special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, this Main Stage production runs for two weeks only, from October 31 through November 8, 2025, and features three matinee performances.

Set in a quiet Southern town, BAD SEED follows Colonel (Matthew Repece) and Christine Penmark (Bethany Bryant) and their seemingly perfect daughter, Rhoda (Olivia Prince). On the surface, Rhoda is sweet, polite, and adored by all who know her. Beneath her charming demeanor lies a dark truth that slowly unravels when tragedy strikes. When a classmate of Rhoda's mysteriously drowns at a school picnic, Christine's suspicions grow, forcing her to confront the horrifying possibility that evil can exist where it is least expected.

Written by Maxwell Anderson, from William March's novel, BAD SEED is a suspenseful and unsettling exploration of innocence, morality, and the terrifying power of denial. Directed by Courtney Bundens, BAD SEED features a talented local cast that brings the eerie world of the Penmarks to life on stage. Featuring other outstanding performances by Bev Smith, Thomas-Robert Irwin, Michael Tamin Yurcaba, Susan Bolt, Dan Wolfe, Angie Scholl, Scott Reynolds, and Chas Thomas. Costumes designed by Jason Wylie, set designed by Vincent Raspa, lighting designed by Abrham Bogale, and produced by Amanda Pasquini.

Director Courtney Bundens brings her lifelong fascination with horror and psychological storytelling to this production. “It does not always have to be big buckets of blood and fake limbs strewn about to hook audiences in and keep them engaged,” Bundens says. “Sometimes it is just as terrifying, often more so, when we are confronted not with monsters, but with the very real question of who we are, where we come from, and what we are destined to be.”