Bay Street Theater will present Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451” from November 13 through November 30, directed by Bay Street co-founder Stephen Hamilton. The production brings Bradbury’s iconic story to vivid life in a striking new staging that explores censorship, free thought, and the power of imagination.
Bradbury’s masterwork, first published in 1953, envisions a future where books are outlawed and firemen ignite the flames that consume them. The story follows Guy Montag, a loyal fireman who begins to question his role in a society built on censorship, distraction, and fear. What begins as a simple doubt sparks into full rebellion, as Montag dares to imagine a world where knowledge and free thought might once again survive.
Leading the company is John Kroft as Guy Montag, the conflicted fireman whose growing curiosity leads him to question his role in a world that bans books. Kroft returns to Bay Street after performances in “The Great Gatsby” and “The Crucible.” His regional credits include The Guthrie, La Jolla Playhouse, and Williamstown Theatre Festival, with screen appearances in “Maestro” and “Blue Bloods.”
J. Stephen Brantley plays Captain Beatty, Montag’s commanding officer and philosophical adversary. Brantley’s stage credits include “Mope” at Ensemble Studio Theatre and “Pirira” at Theatre 167, and his television work includes “Succession,” “Poker Face,” and “Law & Order.”
Daniela Mastropietro appears as Mildred Montag, Montag’s wife, whose comfortable life begins to unravel as her husband rebels against conformity. Mastropietro recently played Blanche DuBois in “A Streetcar Named Desire” at Bay Street and at The WaterTower Theatre in Dallas.
Anna Francesca Schiavoni, a Sag Harbor native and Literature Live alumna, portrays Clarisse McClellan, the young neighbor whose curiosity and independence awaken Montag’s imagination.
The production also features Bonnie Comley as the Good Morning Show Host and Mary Shelly, Matthew Conlon as Faber, Nicole Marie Hunt as Mrs. Hudson, Stewart F. Lane as the Family Theater Show Attorney and J.R.R. Tolkien, and Dan Pavacic as Fireman Black and Aristotle.
The creative team includes scenic, and projection design by Mike Billings (DreamWorks’ “The Prince of Egypt”), costume design by Yuka Silvera, fight direction by Rick Sordelet of Sordelet Inc. (“The Lion King,” “Pirates!”), production stage management by Chris Daly, and assistant direction by Brian Clemente.
For director Stephen Hamilton, who returns to the stage he helped establish more than three decades ago, Bradbury’s work resonates as a powerful reflection of the present moment. He views “Fahrenheit 451” not as a distant warning but as a story whose urgency continues to grow with time. This production, he notes, aims to remind audiences why live theater remains one of the most immediate ways to confront uncomfortable truths and shared questions about freedom, art, and imagination.
Tickets are available at baystreet.org or by calling 631-725-9500.