Event

Bad Seed

Bad Seed, by Maxwell Anderson, is a 1954 stage play about a perfectly-dressed, pigtailed eight-year-old cherub named Rhoda with a few nasty habits, like lying, cheating, theft and more. The story examines the question of whether a tendency to criminality is inherited, or is acquired from exposure to an unsavory environment, usually a dysfunctional community. In the course of the story, Rhoda's mother, Christine must come to terms with the fact that her daughter may have murdered a little classmate all because he beat her out for the school's coveted penmanship medal. Rhoda lies and twists the truth even when confronted after her mother discovers the penmanship award hidden away in Rhoda's treasure box. Her mother is forced to face the notion that even in a so-called good family, evil can still grow. And the reason for this evil shocks Christine, for it concerns her own special heritage and sparks a heated debate. These are the questions that Bad Seed tackles in a frightening and memorable fashion.

Directed by: Betsy Jones