Myriam Cyr has been a poet laureate, journalist, acclaimed actress, and author, but she believes she has finally found her “voice” as a playwright for a new work about the Salem witch trials.
“What I didn’t realize was that all my artistic experiences were leading me to be a storyteller,” the Beverly resident said.
Cyr trained at the London Academy of Dramatic Arts, toured with the Royal National Theatre in Europe, and played on stage opposite Al Pacino in “Salome.” She appeared in more than 17 films, including as Ultra Violet in “I Shot Andy Warhol” and Claire in “Gothic.”
This summer she performed in and directed “Moving Bodies” at the Theater for the New City in New York, and as a writer she published the much-admired book “Letters of a Portuguese Nun,” about a forbidden a love affair.
“Bringing all these artistic voices together as a playwright have brought me unparalleled joy,” said Cyr. “When the true story of Nathaniel Saltonstall, one of the Salem witch trial judges, came to me from New Hampshire author Michael Cormier, I saw it as a way to give the accused women a voice they never had. I have always been devoted to female narratives.”
Cyr and Cormier have cowritten “Saltonstall,” which debuts in a workshop production on Nov. 1 through 4 at Northern Essex Community College in Haverhill. Cyr is also directing.
“The witch trials remain one of the most intriguing historical events locally and nationally, “ said Cyr. “In 1692 as hysteria spread across the region Judge Saltonstall refused to accept spectral evidence and came to the defense of the accused. He would eventually walk away from the trial and in doing so put himself and his family in danger of being swept up as disciples of Satan.”
The Halloween season means heightened interest in the trials and often brings out stereotypes of witches as evil-eyed creatures casting spells.
“Our cast, particularly the actresses portraying the defendants at the trial, do not use the term ‘witches’; they are the ‘accused,’” Cyr said. “It reminds us they were human beings.
“In a society where cows had a higher legal status than women, due process for these ‘creatures’ was not ever truly a consideration. Only Saltonstall had the courage to stand for truth. The positive role of Nathaniel Saltonstall shows us that men can be engines of empowerment for women as opposed to engines of destruction,” Cyr said.
As a mother of three teenagers, Cyr said she is sensitive to the gender roles that young people see in popular media today.
“We need more positive role models like Nathaniel Saltonstall in theater and in society,” she said. “It has been an extraordinary experience and a great honor to shed light on the plight of these women and the one judge that risked his own life to defend them.”
For more information on “Saltonstall: One man’s stand against the Salem witch trials” go to www.punctuate4.org.
Linda Greenstein can be reached at greensteinlm@gmail.com.