Night Of January 16th - by Ayn Rand

The annual Gates County play for the preservation of the Old Gates County Courthouse is coming soon! This year it is a powerful play.



Sam Tackett stars as Karen Andre in the famous Ayn Rand Play


Deep down inside we all know that we would love to be a juror on a life or death case. That is power. The most power the average citizen will ever have. Playing on that fantasy, Edith Seiling of the Gates County Historical Society is producing a great play in our area for the 10th Anniversary of their efforts to restore the old Gates County Courthouse. It is a reprise of their first play done a decade ago. It is titled, "Night of January 16th" by Ayn Rand. It allows the audience to determine who is lying in a complicated murder case with life or death consequences. Want to see if you can figure it out? Jurors are selected from the audience!



Joyce Brown, Director



Garrett Maroney, stars as prosecuting attorney Mr. Flint


"Night of January 16th" is the famous play by Ayn Rand, author of Atlas Shrugged and Fountainhead. The play was inspired by the death of a Swedish industrialist who was one of the wealthiest men of his day. It takes place entirely in a court room and is centered on a murder trial. It was the hit of the 1935-36 Broadway season. The play deals with issues of a man's ability to regard oneself as important and exist in a society where moral decay is ever prevalent. It also deals with issues of love, loyalty and betrayal.



Bob Bryan as Judge Heath



Rene' Rother Winslow, Evelyn Eason, Jimmy Smith, Durwood Evans and Elaina Dobay are witnesses in the trial


The play is directed by Joyce Brown, Gates County resident and former Full Professor of Communication at Chowan University. Joyce is a long time participant in the drama groups at Chowan and in Gates County. It stars Gates county residents Sam Tackett, as Karen Andre, mistress and secretary to the dead industrialist Bjorn Faulkner, and Garrett Maroney as Mr. Flint, prosecuting attorney. Karen Andre is on trial for the murder.

Other key players include:
Bob Bryan as Judge Heath
Dee Dee Oakey as Defense attorney Ms. Stevens
Elaina Dobay as Dr. Kirkland, medical examiner
Durwood Evans as the security guard
Jimmy Smith as Homer Van Fleet, private detective
Evelyn Eason as Detective Elvira Sweeny
Rene' Rother Winslow as Magda Svenson
Shelby Palermo as the industrialist's wife Nancy Lee Faulkner
Jerry Killory as John Graham Whitfield, the wife's father
Tony Palermo as Lawrence "Guts" Regan, a gangster
Thomas Hilton Jr as Sigurd Jungquist
Johnny Carter as the Bailiff
Lois Hofler as the Court Clerk




Evelyn Eason is cross examined by Dee Dee Oakey



Jimmy Smith testifies for Garrett Maroney



Shelby Palermo is questioned by Garrett Maroney

These Gates County play are always well done and great entertainment. Don't miss opening night this Saturday, February 23rd at 8:00 PM.