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Learning from Lockerbie

Baptist Bible College student performance tackles subject of grief in play based on 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.

Thomas Krivak Abington Journal Correspondent

Baptist Bible College will present “The Women of Lockerbie,” a play loosely based on the true story of a mother of a student killed in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103. Performances will take place Oct. 22 to 24, beginning at 8 p.m. at the Phelps Student Center.

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From left: Mary Chappell, Mark Mallecoccio, Hannah Sayre and Maggie Hillegass at a dress rehearsal of The Women of Lockerbie at Baptist Bible College

Abington Journal/Tom Krivak

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On Dec. 21, 1988, over Lockerbie, Scotland, a commercial plane was destroyed by a terrorist bomb. All 259 aboard the flight were killed, in addition to 11 people on the ground. A majority of victims were were residents of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Brian Maxwell, the play’s director, said the student performance deals with universal subjects. “We all experience loss of different kinds and at different levels.” He said. “We all have to experience grief, and we all experience it in different ways.”

May Chappell, who plays the role of a middle-aged Lockerbie woman, echoed Maxwell’s thoughts. “With the things that happen in the play, it just reminds me that our grief is so strong – it’s not something we can just take for granted, we have to be able to portray it right.”

Danielle McMichael, who also portrays a middle-aged Lockerbie woman, commented on the challenges of relating to the characters. “Reading the play for a class last semester, I thought it was absolutely beautiful. Performing the play this semester, I thought it was an absolute challenge,” she said. “Because of this challenge, my love for the play and its aesthetics has grown even more. I personally relate with my character so much, but it just seemed tremendously difficult to connect with her on stage.”

Maxwell also noted that playwright Deborah Brevoort shows the different approaches to grief. Taking place seven years after the event, the script by Brevoort explicitly expresses a desire to not rely on obvious emotions.

“The women are pretty controlled through the whole thing,” said Maxwell. “They express compassion, they share their sorrow and their shock at the horror they’ve experienced, but they’re not breaking down and sobbing. It was a challenge for us; we didn’t want everyone just yelling and screaming the whole time.”

Freshman Hannah Sayre, a Tunkhannock native, plays the lead role of Madeline Livingston, the woman who lost her son in the bombing. “All I knew about the play was that it was a tragedy,” she said, noting she almost didn’t audition for the part. “I didn’t know Dr. Maxwell cast freshman – ever – which is why I tried out,” Sayre said. “I thought I’d get my name out there and that way, if I wanted to be in a comedy later, maybe he’d cast me.”

“People like Hannah just completely blew us away [during casting],” said assistant director Breanna Stizel. “We were blown away by her audition, like ‘we have to have her.’”

“I love this play because it’s gut-wrenching and it’ll bring you to tears and laughter and everything at the same time,” said Michelle Bailey, who plays the part of Hattie. “You get the whole range of emotion in there.”

The Women of Lockerbie will be presented on October 22, 23 and 24, beginning at 8 p.m. in the Phelps Student Center. Tickets are $10 and are available at the BBC Box Office in the Office of Student Development. Call 570-585-9000 for details. The price for alumni and senior citizens 55 and over is $6.