Mile 59 will be performed on July 18 - 19, 2025, at 7 pm at Sussex County Community College Performing Arts Center, 1 College Hill Road, Newton, New Jersey 07860.
https://sussex.simpletix.com
Based on a true story, "Mile 59" is about 57 Irish migrants who boarded the John Stamp ship from Durry, Ireland to the Port of Philadelphia, United States of America in 1832. The migrants worked on a construction dig of the new Philadelphia / Concord railroad on Mile 59. Within six weeks of their arrival, all 57 Irish migrants died supposedly of cholera.
Ognibene’s play is also based on the Duffy’s Cut Project and the historians, scientists and archeologists who worked diligently for years uncovering this bleak part of history to uncover prejudice and religious persecution of the migrant plight.
The story is based on The Duffy's Cut Project. According to its website, the Duffy’s Cut Project began undergoing archaeological excavation in August of 2004 by a research team headed by Dr. William Watson from Immaculata University, Rev. Dr. Frank Watson, Earl Schandelmeier and John Ahtes (who passed away in 2010). The team took on the momentous task of archival and archaeological search into the life and death of the forgotten people of Duffy's Cut.
"Mile 59" is written by Allison Ognibene, Lead Faculty of Theater at Sussex County Community College. SCCC students, alumni and community members will be performing in “Mile 59” with Ognibene directing, including: Branchville Resident: Benjamin Smith; Hackettstown Resident: Fenrir Lewin; Hamburg Resident: Chris Flatt; Hardyston Resident: Michael Foster; Montague Resident: Phil Cocilovo; Newton Resident: Gavin Bermingham; Secaucus Resident: Stephen Burke; Sparta Residents: Sky Sobieski, Lillian Farrell; Stanhope Resident: Nicolas Galloza; Stillwater Resident: Leo Watson; and Vernon Residents: Danielle DiBattista, Lydia Rivera.
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