Dignity Players

A program of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis, Dignity Players sprang into action in December of 2004. Separating it from the various theater groups making their homes in the Annapolis region, Dignity Players founders Bryan Barrett, Mickey Lund, and Sue Struve established the new group to promote the “inherent self-worth and dignity of all people” through the production of plays and musicals containing a strong, liberal, open-minded message of life, liberty, justice for all, hope, and dignity. An all-volunteer organization, Dignity Players sought to involve members of the Unitarian Universalist Church community and the greater Annapolis area community, and to inspire action on social issues pertaining to the rights of all people, regardless of race, gender, creed, religion, or sexual orientation.

The organization proudly opened its doors with its inaugural production of Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen’s The Exonerated, which tells the true stories of six death row inmates exonerated of their crimes anywhere from two to 22 years after their wrongful imprisonment. A highly successful panel discussion following the Saturday performance of the show included panel member Kirk Bloodsworth, the first man in the U.S. to be exonerated based on DNA evidence. A portion of the proceeds from the production was sent as a donation to The Innocence Project in Washington, DC, which seeks to assist innocent inmates with legal counsel and exonerated individuals with financial and social aid.

Following this huge success, Dignity Players presented a production of Moises Kauffman’s The Laramie Project. This fact-based play was taken from interviews with the townspeople of Laramie, Wyoming, following the brutal murder of gay college student Matthew Shepard. A portion of the proceeds from the production went to the Matthew Shepard Foundation, established by Matthew’s parents following his murder.

A third successful production took place in October of 2005. Eve Enlser’s The Vagina Monologues is based on interviews with over 200 women about their memories and experiences of sexuality. The Vagina Monologues gives voice to women's deepest fantasies and fears, guaranteeing that no one who sees it will ever look at a woman's body, or think of sex, in quite the same way again. Directed by local director Eric Lund, and starring the local talents of Wendy Baird, Darice Clewell, and Carol Cohen, The Vagina Monologues established Dignity Players as a new powerhouse theatre company in the Annapolis area.

Dignity Players presented a three or four show season for 9 years beginning with a full season in 2006 and culminating in a final four show season in 2014. Each season's productions were based on a social justice theme selected by Artistic Director Mickey Lund in coordination with the Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis' Legislative Ministry team.

Triumph of Love

(front row) Dean Davis, Wendy Baird, Mark Farinas (back row) Dan Herrel, Sheri Kuznicki-Owen, Jud Wegner, Margaret Allman

Dan Herrel, Sheri Kuznicki-Owen

(front row) Sheri Kuznicki-Owen, Jud Wegner (back row) Mark Farinas, Wendy Baird, Dean Davis

Sheri Kuznicki-Owen, Margaret Allman

Dean Davis

(front row) Margaret Allman, Jud Wegner, Sheri Kuznicki-Owen (back row) Dean Davis, Wendy Baird, Mark Farinas, Dan Harrel

Triumph of Love was produced as part of Dignity Players' 2006 season which contained plays and musicals dealing with women's rights and the elimination of the death penalty. With music and lyrics by Jeffrey Stock and Susan Birkenhead, and book by James Magruder, the production was directed by Dignity Players Artistic Director Mickey Lund, with music direction by Mark Hildebrand.

Music for the Dignity Players production was recorded by the music director and a cast recording was made in LSP Studios in October 2006. A final compilation of the recordings was completed in 2020.