While touring to promote The Trial of Bat Shea novel, author Jack Casey brought along his guitar to play a few Irish songs during his book talks. The audiences loved it, tapped their toes, and sang along with the old Irish favorites. That was the start of what would evolve into The Trial of Bat Shea: A Play in Two Acts, With Music.

Under the tutelage of Jeannine Edmunds—who helped bring many scripts to the silver screen, like Moonstruck, Agnes of God and What’s Eating Gilbert Grape—Casey worked to flesh out the dramatic potential of his novel. When it was ready, he brought the story to life on the stage.

In 2006, Bat Shea was performed twice as a staged reading: once before a packed house of more than 400 people at Revolution Hall, in Troy, NY, and once at the HBO Studios in Manhattan. It was performed again as two concert readings, with 12 original songs written by Jack Casey, on September 19-20, 2008 at Bush Memorial Hall at Russell Sage College in Troy, N.Y.

In the spring of 2010, The Trial of Bat Shea was accepted for a full November, 2010 production at the New York State Theater Institute (NYSTI). Unfortunately, state fiscal woes dried up necessary funds.

Presently the playwright and his ensemble are looking for the next opportunity to tell Bat’s story with drama and music.

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