Julia Weber
Staff Writer
Chautauqua Theater Company will deliver the final previews of its last mainstage production of the 2025 season, The Witnesses, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. today in Bratton Theater. The show officially opens at 6 p.m Wednesday in Bratton.
The Witnesses, written by playwright C.A. Johnson, follows a community support group in the midst of an apocalyptic pandemic and explores how individuals find community even in the darkest of times. The work was commissioned by Producing Artistic Director Jade King Carroll when she stepped into her role in 2023 and was brought to the stage as a New Play Workshop titled Tell Me You’re Dying last season.
Daniel Pearce is a guest actor now in his seventh season with CTC. He plays the role of John in The Witnesses and said he feels lucky to return to the company as a guest artist again this season.
“I feel very lucky in that I keep getting asked to come back,” he said. “No matter who is running the place, they somehow find me and yank me back.”
Having acted in a wide array of productions at the Institution — from 2008’s Reckless to 2024’s NPW of Tell Me You’re Dying — Pearce said he finds this one special because it is a product of the commissioning process.
“This one is unique in that it’s coming back directly to Chautauqua after the New Play Workshop last summer. I think it speaks highly of the play itself and Jade’s belief in it, the actors’ belief in it and the work that C.A. has done,” Pearce said. “I think it’s a really special play.”
Pearce said he thinks Chautauqua is a “great place” to create art as he doesn’t feel the same level of pressure he might in other places. He said when he was asked to return to the grounds for the role, he felt excited to be in such a scenic place making art with other actors.
“It’s amazing that all these people come here for a couple months every summer because they’re curious and they want to learn and they want to experience,” he said. “They want to support the arts.”
For Pearce, Chautauquans are one of his favorite audiences to perform for because of their “openness and willingness to see works that are not necessarily as traditional.”
“I find them very open to new works and curious,” Pearce said.
Pearce hopes viewers will consider how they find decency and generosity during difficult times. He said he is concerned about the loss of this decency in society, and to him, The Witnesses is a commentary on finding community and kindness even when it isn’t easy.
“What I find very moving about the play is that these people have very limited time, and they’re very kind. People are very kind to each other and generous and decent,” he said. “I think that’s the most important thing right now because all of these things that were put in place in order to uphold decency are being stripped away.”
