"Trace a lie to its beginnings and you might find the truth."


Inaugural Winner

The Richard Burton Award for New Plays


On September 11, 1916, in St Paul, Virginia, a hotel worker named Red Eldridge was hired as an assistant elephant trainer by the Sparks World Famous Shows Circus.  The next day, in Kingsport, Tennessee, he was killed by Mary, a five-ton Asian elephant. 

The details of the aftermath are confused in a maze of sensationalism and folklore.  What is known, is that on the following day a crowd of over 2500 people assembled atop the Clinchfield Railroad Yard to watch Mary hang.

At a time when ‘spectacle’ executions in the U.S. drew crowds of up to twenty thousand, this bizarre event serves as a crucible in which to study the convergence of Justice and Theatre - and a reckoning with the true purpose of punishment:  rehabilitation, restitution or retribution




90 minutes




3 Females, 4 Males, + Various. 

Originally written as a graduating student production, the play can be staged with a minimum of 8, though it is ideally suited for a large cast of between 16 and 20 people.  Perfect for student productions.



To enquire about a copy of the play contact Caleb here