Berkshire on Stage

by Emily Edelman

“Rebel Town” is a new musical set against the backdrop of pre-Revolutionary War Boston and centers around carpenter William Grey, who is involved in the coordination of the Boston Tea Party. Grey was invented for the show, but there are also characterizations of a number of well-known historical figures, including John Hancock, Samuel Adams and Paul Revere.

Having been given its first staging two years ago in Lenox, the musical “continues to evolve,” according to the program, and I’m glad to know this, since its current state is fairly problematic. The plot comes together slowly and is hard to follow. There are 26 musical numbers, most of which seem to serve as additional dialogue instead of emphasis for points of interest within the narrative. 

Several characters are given fascinating back stories that are either improperly handled or not resolved at all. Though the audience knows that the British are the overarching villains of the story, the individual British characters do not come across as clear antagonists.

Act I is about the lead-up to the Boston Tea Party and culminates in that event, but Act II, which centers around the personal life of Grey and his family’s move to Lexington, contains very little reference to Act I and therefore feels like it doesn’t belong. There is a scene in which Christopher-Michael Vecchia as Paul Revere rides a giant mechanical horse, which provoked lots of laughter from the audience and subsequently caused the words and message of the accompanying serious song to become lost. And since Revere’s own story was barely mentioned in the first act, the amount of attention given to him in the second was illogical.

John Alan Segalla — who wrote the show’s book, music and lyrics — plays William Grey, and he is a very good actor and singer. Ed Valentine’s (Samuel Adams) resonant delivery added to his great stage presence. Ryan Palmer as George the Fishmonger provided endearing comic relief. Emma Robertson as Sarah Grey and Chelsea Beatty as Mercy Otis Warren have lovely voices and gave their characters healthy doses of both determination and whimsy.

Ron Piazza designed the impressive set, and is also responsible for the beautiful backdrop and fascinating aforementioned mechanical horse. Jean Atwater-Williams’ costumes are well done except for the fact that she has dressed several of the colonists in red, which creates confusion as to where the loyalties of those characters lie. Director Michael Siktberg keeps his actors constantly on the move, ensuring the audience always has something to watch and is never bored.

The premise of “Rebel Town” is an interesting one, and I hope that work continues on the show so that it becomes more cohesive and finite. Performances continue in the Kathleen E. McDermott Auditorium of Monument Mountain Regional High School in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, through Sunday, July 19.

Rebel Town Productions LLC presents “Rebel Town”, book, music and lyrics by John Alan Segalla, directed by Michael Siktberg, running from July 10-19, 2026 at the Kathleen E. McDermott Auditorium in Monument Mountain Regional High School, Great Barrington MA. CAST: Emma Robertson as Sarah Grey, John Alan Segalla as William Grey, Ryleigh Fillio as Peter Slater Junior, Amanda McClusky as Abigail Slater, Ed Valentine as Samuel Adams, Chelsea Beatty as Mercy Otis Warren, Christopher-Michael Vecchia as Paul Revere, Ned Averill-Snell as Royal Governor Thomas Hutchinson, Christopher Boswell as John Hancock, Joe Lyman as Lieutenant Colonel Leslie, Ryan Palmer as George the Fishmonger, Christopher Kristant as Thaddeus the Blacksmith, Brian Litscher as General Thomas Gage, Maggie McRae as Tavern Violinist, Deron Bayer as Parson, Josh Webb, Ruby Littman, Jean Atwater-Williams, James Temple, Wesley Kristant, Greg Paroff. CREATIVE TEAM: Choreographer Kristine Waterman, Assistant Choreographer Ainslee Nipper, Additional Choreography by Michael Siktberg and John Alan Segalla, Music Director John Alan Segalla, Assistant Musical Directors Luke Olivieri and Chelsea Beatty, Technical Director Ron Piazza, Lighting Designer Jo Averill-Snell, Lighting Assistant Sam Webb, Set Designer Ron Piazza, Sound Design Rob Dumais, Costume Coordinator Jean Atwater-Williams, Company Photographer Ned Averill-Snell, Spotlight Operator Aletheia Benoit, Videography Jeffrey Schlichter, Douglas Gordon and Ned Averill-Snell, Horse Puppet & Backdrop Ron Piazza, Production Assistant Aletheia Benoit, Volunteer Coordinator Mary Jane Piazza, Stage Managers Nicole Ager, Emilyn Bona, and Rebecca Gardner.