The making of Turning Tides: The life and times of Anna Kingsley

By Jennifer Harrison
January 27, 2020

Editor’s Note:  Even though tickets for the upcoming performances of “Turning Tides: The Life and Times of Anna Kingsley,” are sold out, we know you will enjoy Jennifer Harrison’s write up on the making of the play.  It is possible additional performances will be schedule later.

Having in the past created several minor historical productions based on the lives of those who lived in old Fernandina during the chaotic 1800s, in 2018 I was asked to write a play based on the life of Anna Kingsley. All productions have been fund raisers for the Amelia Island Museum of History. As I researched Anna’s history I was excited to realize that she would have known those from old Fernandina (Old Town) that I had written about before and who I felt I knew really well as they were my ‘neighbors’. I thought writing a play and bringing it to production would be straightforward. It wasn’t!

I was never satisfied with what I had written. On my computer there are at least six or seven rewrites. I had difficulty finding a director who would be brave enough to take on a historical play written by an amateur playwright. Bob Weintraub valiantly stepped forward as director and I am so very grateful to him for his expertise. When it proved impossible to bring a large cast of characters together at one time, the play evolved into a ‘costumed dramatic readers’ theatre’.

We had many disappointments and setbacks but things have a habit of working out for the best! We now have a terrific and diverse cast of players, nine women and eleven men, those who are regular performers on Amelia’s stages and those stepping onto the stage for the very first time.

We have three new actors portraying the stages of Anna’s life; Abria Richo, Lynell Everett and Shalene Raysor. Our costumed dramatic reading is narrated by the great great granddaughter of Susan L’Engle (Susan Bonnett) her great friend. Madeleine L’Engle (Arlene Filkoff) adds her witty/pithy comments to the narration and makes her message relevant to us today.

Our opening scene is set in Senegal where colorful young native girls (from our high school) celebrate the birth of a royal baby. Felipe, (Thea Seagraves) the famous witch of Old Town, creeps around throughout the play with her friend from Ladies Street (Buffy Wells). Deena Raysor plays Flora Clarke, the long suffering partner of Jorge (George) Clarke. Chatty Matilda Seton (Laura Giordano) pops in and out spreading gossip.

Throughout our story there are several macho men! Zephaniah Kingsley (Don Bingham), Domingo Fernando (Paul Lorre), George Clark (Dave Roeser), Charles Seton (Larry Myers), and Luis Aury (Will Holder). Spanish authority is evidenced by Richard Smith and Osvaldo Medina.

The closing scene is old Fernandina where the news of Anna’s death is brought to her friend Susan L’Engle. Anna Kingsley is buried in an unmarked grave in Arlington cemetery.

However, when Dr. Daniel Schafer’s excellently detailed book about Anna’s life was published it brought great joy to her descendants here, and those distant descendants in Senegal who never knew what had happened to their royal ancestor. I relied heavily on Dr Schafer’s work when writing this play. His book will be on sale at both performances. Dr. Schafer will be present to sign his book prior to the Saturday performance.

Editor’s Note:  Tickets for this event are sold out.  It is possible additional performances will be scheduled in the future.