Cemetery Actors Dig Deep For Inspiration

By Dottie Evans

I see dead people.

Communicating with spirits was the dubious talent that haunted a sensitive young boy played by Haley Joel Osment in the 1999 film Sixth Sense. Not to give anything away, let us simply say that it took actor Bruce Willis’s character a full two hours (the length of the film) to figure out the true meaning of those four fatal words.

You, too, may be seeing dead people –– and hearing them –– when you take any one of the three Village Cemetery walking tours put on by the Newtown Historical Society on Saturday afternoon, May 14.

On that day (or rain date May 15) the ten “Newtown Notables” who are “Gone But Not Forgotten” will rise from the dead and stand beside their gravestones to tell us what it was like to live in this town “way back when” they were alive.

The noteworthy residents whose ghosts will appear are (in decreasing order of antiquity) Thomas Tousey (1688–1761) played by John Renjilian, the Rev David Judson, died 1777 and portrayed by Raymond Horvath, the Rev John Beach (1700–1782) played by Bill Timmel, Caleb Baldwin (1739–1804) played by Gordon Williams, Judge William Edmond (1755–1838) played by Dick Hubert, Henry Sandford (1822–1892) played by Peter MacCarthy, Alfred Jeffrey Briscoe (1831–1892) played by Nelson Tamakloe, Ezra Levan Johnson (1832–1914) played by Bart Schofield, Katherine Camp (1850–1909) played by Dot Wenblad, and the relatively modern town benefactress, Mary Elizabeth Hawley (1852–1930) played by Nanette Maturi.

“Each one of our ghosts has gotten to know the historical person they are celebrating,” said event organizer Patty Graves following a recent dress rehearsal.

Besides boning up on summaries of their characters’ lives written by Town Historian Dan Cruson and Ray Horvath, it was wearing the hats and period costumes made by Diane Everett that seemed to help some of the actors “get into” their character, Ms Graves noted.

“Nanette Maturi who portrays Mary Hawley spent hours with [library curator] Caroline Stokes in the Booth Library attic going through Mary’s clothing. She wrote her script and practiced her part while wearing a hat that belonged to Miss Hawley,” added Ms Graves.

Unfortunately, the Hawley hat will not be featured on the tour since it is too fragile to be exposed to the out-of-doors.

During the dress rehearsal run-through, Ms Graves was particularly impressed with the vivid and, dare we say, lifelike quality of the performances.

“[Merchant] Henry Sanford had us able to smell all the leather goods available in his General Store, and [Puritan preacher] Rev Judson gave us the feel of a real sermon from his time in the pulpit,” which would have been mid 18th Century.

Actors Becoming Their Characters

Some of the volunteer ghosts are more experienced in role-playing than others, but they all immersed themselves in their parts, according to Ms Graves.

Bart Schofield had participated in play reading groups and he has acted in Little Theatre.

“I’m playing Ezra Levan Johnson, a 19th Century man who had a deep love of this town. He was a teacher and very literate, and he spoke in very flowery language. He was also a 58-year Board of Education member, which I think must be a record,” Mr Schofield noted.

“I was told I would be the most comfortable of the characters, since I get to wear a seersucker suit and sit down in a library chair. I’ll have school books and a school bell as props,” he added.

“This tour is a very nice idea. You could say it’s an ensemble piece rather like [Thornton Wilder’s play] Our Town. There are no true stars because everyone has their own bit –– their own five minutes of fame. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun and educational.”

Nelson Tamakloe plays “Old Jeff” Briscoe, a lifelong Newtown resident who was the grandson of Newtown slave Alexander (1767–1812) owned by Nathaniel Briscoe. Jeffrey Briscoe’s monument is at the farthest edge of the Village Cemetery, yet it has an elegance that bespeaks the respect he had earned in the community.

“I’m dressed as Jeff, the driver for Dick’s Hotel that stood where the Booth Library now stands. He used to take hotel guests to and from the railroad depot,” said Mr Tamakloe.

“He was mentally challenged, but who is to say that wasn’t the result of his background and lack of educational opportunities. We know that he was a delightful person, and I believe he had to have been particularly brilliant to manage a balanced, useful life and become so well-beloved in town.

“He was born into service, yet he loved to serve,” Mr Tamakloe pointed out, mentioning that Jeffrey Briscoe had dedicated his life to being a volunteer fireman with Newtown Hook & Ladder Company.

Mr Tamakloe, who has lived in Newtown since 1982, noted that his own family background was totally different from that of Jeff Briscoe, yet he feels an affinity for the man he has chosen to play.

“My great-grandfather, who was a contemporary of Jeff Briscoe, lived in Ghana. He was a warrior who fought to free slaves and protect his territory from the British. He died in 1898, the same year Briscoe died,” Mr Tamakloe said.

Gordon Williams is another ghost actor who feels a special identity with his character.

He plays Caleb Baldwin the second, a town clerk and tavern keeper. This is especially fitting because Gordon’s house at 32 Main Street, built sometime between 1765 and 1790, was once the home of Caleb Baldwin.

“Three generations of Baldwins actually lived here,” Mr Williams said, “so that makes it even more fun.”

Asked whether he’d be wearing a hat for the role, Mr Williams said no. “I’m a tavern keeper, and I’ve got my sleeves rolled up ready to wait on my customers.”

The guided tour of Newtown Village Cemetery on Elm Drive (near Ram Pasture) steps off Saturday, May 14, at 2 pm, 4 pm, and 6 pm, with tickets sold in advance at the Booth Library. Tickets may also be purchased at the cemetery gate beginning at noon May 14, but numbers are limited to 80 for each tour. Ticket cost is $5 each or $20 per family, and any profits will be donated to the tercentennial. Rain date is Sunday, May 15. The Newtown Historical Society phone number is 426-5937, and the we site is www.newtownhistory.org.