Brother Jeremiah, played by William Edward Morgan (seen here “Cuttin' Footloose”), is a Puritan who cares for nothing more than to maintain a completely virtuous life. Much like the character of Rev. Shaw Moore in Footloose, his conviction takes priority over all things, including his daughter, the theater, and the other ills of society.

In 1559, a group called the Puritans emerged and hoped to separate from the Anglicans and return to Calvinism. They desired for the Church of England to adopt a rigid structure similar to Roman Catholicism and a plain church model.

They forbade sinful practices in everyday life and loathed the theater for attracting such sinful behaviors. Theaters like The Globe became social centers where people gambled, including the practice of bearbaiting, where bears were pitted against dogs, and people took bets on which animals would survive. Theaters attracted an array of characters, including thieves, prostitutes, beggars, and more. Despite the advancements in theater, the Puritans sought to abolish theater and its sinful practices.

Eventually, in 1642, the English Parliament issued an ordinance to halt all plays, and later, in 1648, all theatres were ordered to close. But the work had been done – these plays of the English Renaissance would be performed and cherished centuries later.

Bill Morgan is an actor, musician, singer, director, and lawyer and was last seen on Hickory Theatre stage as The Black Stache in Peter and the Starcatcher and Sweeney Todd at The Green Room. He played Javert to Something Rotten! Music Director & Hickory Arts Artistic Director Jeff Hartman’s Valjean in HCT's Les Misérables, and, to this very day, has been unable to catch him or notice him in the most obvious of circumstances.

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