JUN 17 – AUG 11, 2019
At the Old State House
The names you never knew. The stories you’ll never forget.
The original play Cato & Dolly offers a glimpse of everyday life inside the Hancock House through the eyes of those who lived there: Cato Hancock, an enslaved man serving the Hancock household, and Dolly Hancock, John Hancock’s wife and First Lady of Massachusetts.
Blood on the Snow playwright Patrick Gabridge gives life to the Revolutionary-era figures whose lives intersected at the famous Hancock House. Two actors take on eight real-life characters in a compelling drama that spans over 50 years, staged before the preserved front door of the iconic 18th-century mansion on display at the Old State House.
Unlock the forgotten stories of the past and step over the threshold of history to experience the lives of those who witnessed the dawn of American Independence.
Cato & Dolly is presented in partnership with Plays in Place, a group of theatre professionals working with cultural institutions to make site-specific theatrical experiences. Gabridge’s powerful site-specific play at the Old State House, Blood On The Snow, had sold-out runs in 2016 and 2017 and was called “electric and alive” by WGBH’s Jared Bowen. This production was made possible in part by the support of the New England Women’s Club.
Upcoming Events
- Members’ View: Remembering Phillis with Charles Coe
NOV 4: Members are invited to join poet and Board Member, Charles Coe, for an evening of poetry, film, and discussion to celebrate Phillis Wheatley Peters.Read more →
Recent Online Events
- VIDEO | Tea Party Tonight! Episode 4
For our fourth episode, host Rob Crean is going forth to conquer… Philadelphia’s Carpenters’ Hall!Read more → - VIDEO | Tea Party Tonight! Episode 3
VIDEO: The third episode of our late-night comedy/history talkshow, with host Rob Crean!Read more → - Age of Phillis on Film
JUNE 15: A panel featuring the producer and director of the new short film series Imagining the Age of Phillis, as well as poet Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, on whose poems the films are based.Read more → - VIDEO | Interpreting the Past Through Comics
A discussion with creators who have used comics and graphic novels to tell complicated and personal histories spanning from World War II to the near-past.Read more → - A New Space for Our Ideals
VIDEO: A discussion about the role Revolutionary-Era sites play as monuments in our society, and how they can lead to conversation about our national values.Read more → - VIDEO | Tea Party Tonight! Episode 2
EP 2: Host Rob Crean returns with guests Tory Bullock, Jacqueline Beatty, a short film by Tawanda Gona, games including Monumental Accessories, The Statue-lor, Boston Versus, a recipe for grog, and more!Read more →