\ud83c\udfad NEW! Austin Theatre Newsletter<\/p>\n
Into this strict world steps a charming Devil named Scratch, played with sly, catlike precision by Chase Brewer. He doesn\u2019t roar; he listens. He studies people like a skilled investor watches markets, offering contracts that match private desires. He doesn\u2019t demand souls with theatrics. Instead, he asks for consent. He invites each character to name their strongest desire and agree to it. He does not represent chaos but transaction. Want something? Pay for it. The bill comes later.<\/p>\n
As the story unfolds through quiet deals, we see a town falling apart from within.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Frank Thorney, played with mischief by Jon Edward Cook, is ambition wrapped in good manners. Cook gives Frank a bright, upward look, always on the lookout for the next step. When the Devil offers a quicker rise, he hesitates only briefly. Wife. Unborn child. Conscience. Everything becomes negotiable if the reward is worth it. His story appears less like melodrama and more like capitalism with a heartbeat.<\/p>\n Winnifred, played by the captivating Amara (Mars) Johnson, is Frank\u2019s wife. She provides the emotional balance to the play. She believes in the power of love and can\u2019t understand her husband\u2019s obsession with legacy and status. Watching her realize she\u2019s been treated like collateral hits hard. By the end, when she begins to question the rules that held her back, the play truly comes alive. Her awakening feels fresh and modern, showing a woman noticing the system that shaped her obedience.<\/p>\n Cuddy, portrayed with quiet pain and palpable emotion by Steve Guntli, is the closeted son of a wealthy family in a town that would reject him if they perceived the truth. His father, Sir Arthur, brought to life with harsh authority by Rupert Reyes, clings to the family tradition as if it\u2019s everything. He cares more about protecting the family name than about his son. Cuddy doesn\u2019t want power but wants to be true to himself. The Devil tempts him with freedom. The price is high. The choice is very personal. In a world that punishes difference, what is freedom really worth?<\/p>\n At the edges is Elizabeth Sawyer, the town\u2019s favorite scapegoat. Labeled a witch and pushed away, she\u2019s less the story\u2019s driver and more its quiet critique. Katherine Catmull avoids stereotypes, creating a woman who is alert, hurt, and sharply clear. She stands for the outsider that society needs to keep its illusion of goodness. The witch label hides the real truth. The corruption was always from within.<\/p>\n As each character signs their private contract, the play makes its point clear. Damnation is rarely forced. It is chosen. Director Ken Webster preserves a light, playful tone, letting the humor come through while darker questions simmer below the surface. The production entertains with gusto, even as it asks what we are willing to trade for security, status, approval, and love.<\/p>\n If there\u2019s a criticism, it\u2019s that the show hints at deeper issues without fully exploring them. Themes like patriarchy, repression, and transactional morality stay just below the surface. The production trusts the audience to think about these ideas on their own.<\/p>\n Perhaps that is the final bargain. The Devil does not drag anyone to ruin. He simply opens the door and waits.<\/p>\n Highly recommend you pay a visit to the charming Devil and the wise Witch at Hyde Park Theatre<\/a>.<\/p>\n Duration: 90 minutes, no intermission<\/p>\n WITCH<\/p>\n Written by Jen Silverman<\/a><\/p>\n Directed by Ken Webster<\/p>\n Now playing through March 21st, 2026<\/p>\n Thursdays to Saturdays at 8:00 PM<\/p>\n Hyde Park Theatre<\/a><\/p>\n 511 W 43rd St, Austin, TX 78751<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Reader Reviews<\/p>\n To post a comment, you must register<\/a> and login<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Review:](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/_DSF5273.jpg\" "\\"Review:")
\nAmara (Mars) Johnson and Chase Brewer
\nWITCH
\nHyde Park Theatre<\/a>
\nPC:\u00a0Bret Brookshire
<\/p>\n![\"Review:](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/_DSF5062.jpg\" "\\"Review:")
\nKaherine Catmull and Chase Brewer
\nWITCH
\nHyde Park Theatre<\/a>
\nPC:\u00a0Bret Brookshire
<\/p>\n
![\"Broadway](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ROS3-1772021176.png\")
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