06/05/2026
Note from our Director - Angela Courtney Rossi
Directing Chesapeake Chicks has been a deeply personal and joyful experience. The playwright is a fellow alum of Salem State University, and he wrote this play in the wake of losing someone incredibly special to all of us in the theater department — Ann Hall, our beloved secretary for 25 years. Ann was more than a secretary; she was our “Theater Mom.” She supported generations of students with warmth, humor, and love, and the character of Ann in this play was named in her honor. This script was born from grief, but also from laughter, friendship, and celebration — and I know she would have absolutely adored it.
The first time I read the play, I couldn’t stop laughing. I immediately pitched it to the Quannapowitt Players, and they loved it just as much as I did. This play is centered around four former players from the fictional Chesapeake Chicks, a women’s baseball team that played during the late ’60s and early ’70s. The best way I can describe this show is The Golden Girls meets Murder She Wrote with a splash of A League of Their Own. It’s a true farce — full of mistaken identities, quick entrances and exits, unexpected twists, and outrageous situations you would never expect four women in their seventies to find themselves in.
One of the things I love most about this play is that it refuses to underestimate women “of a certain age.” There are not nearly enough comedic roles for older actresses, and when I saw the incredible talent that came out to audition, I couldn’t bear the thought of casting only four of them. So, I approached the Board with an idea: two complete casts. Our “Starting Lineup” and our “On Deck” cast allowed us to showcase more performers while also creating strong built-in understudies for a physically demanding farce. It has certainly been a challenge rehearsing two casts, but thanks to our phenomenal stage managers and assistant director, it became one of the most rewarding parts of the process.
More than anything, I hope audiences can simply relax and enjoy themselves. For 90 minutes, I hope you can escape the outside world and watch six wonderfully chaotic people stumble into increasingly hilarious situations. This play is filled with heart, laughter, friendship, and just enough mischief to keep everyone guessing.
Enjoy the show!
Tickets: https://www.ticketstage.com/T/QPTHEATER
Production dates:
* 6/5 8 pm *Starting Lineup Cast
* 6/6 2 pm *On Deck Cast
* 6/6 8 pm *Starting Lineup Cast
