The Old Marlin & The Sea: An Original Play By John McCaffrey
What connects a legendary silent film star, a masterpiece of American fiction, and a 12-foot California marlin hanging in a historic Sag Harbor boathouse?
Find out in John McCaffrey’s captivating new play, The Old Marlin and the Sea. This compelling story introduces audiences to William Farnum, the son of a theatrical family born on the 4th of July who made his stage debut alongside Edwin Booth at age 14. Farnum quickly rose to leading-man status on Broadway before becoming one of Hollywood’s highest-paid silent film stars.
At the heart of his story is a deep devotion to Sag Harbor, where he built a magnificent estate and hosted legendary parties with his wife, Olive. Central to it all was his beloved boathouse and the massive marlin he caught off Catalina Island, which still hangs in its place of honor above the hearth today.
This premiere reading features original music by Marshall Coid and is accompanied by striking visual projections – including many images dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries — to illustrate a larger-than-life figure from Long Island’s East End history.
