AMITYVILLE ’74
by Tommy Jamerson
At 3:15 AM on November 13th, 1974, Ronald “Butch” Defeo took a .35 caliber Marlin Rifle and murdered his entire family in cold blood. Adapted from a series of interviews conducted over the span of four decades, this dramatic thriller explores the chilling events that occurred at the infamous Dutch Colonial on 112 Ocean Avenue, known throughout the globe as the Amityville Murder House.
- Cast Size: 5M 9W
- Running Time: 90+ minutes
- Royalty Rate: $75 per performance
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About the Playwright
TOMMY JAMERSON (PLAYWRIGHT) Tommy has received over two hundred professional productions, and his children’s shows, The Big Bad Bullysaurus, Princess Pigface, Choose Your Own Oz, and Alice the Brave & Other Tales from Wonderland, have been performed all over the world. His one-act comedy, Rags to Bitches, won Best Short Play at the 14th annual Downtown Urban Arts Festival and starred RuPaul’s Drag Race alums Alexis Michelle and Brita Filter. His play love/fantasy was named Best New Play at the Playwright’s Forum Festival. Tommy holds a BS in Theatre with a Concentration in Playwriting from Indiana State University, and an MFA in Playwriting from the University of New Orleans. He is currently the Resident Playwright for the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts in Hammond, LA. He lives in West Orange, NJ with his husband Mark and their dog Darby.
ALSO BY TOMMY JAMERSON
This is a creative and excellently written “prequel” to the real life tragedy that occur in that house on Ocean Street. Creepy, fun, nostalgic and suspenseful; a definite must see when it’s performed on stage. Another triumph from Tommy Jamerson.
Amityville ‘74 keeps you on the edge of your seat. It’s an excellent thriller!
If you’re looking for a chilling tale of the famed Amityville House on Long Island, look no further. Amityville 74 introduces you to the murders that took place years before the movie. Filled with suspense, shock, and pure evil, you do not want to pass this by.
Fantastic!!
Well written, fast moving!
I had the privilege of performing in this play in its regional premier in Euless, TX. One universal comment I heard from other cast members and audience members is that it was extremely well written. As a playwright myself, I absolutely concur with that sentiment. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions, with funny moments (yes, future audiences, it’s okay to laugh at this one), touching moments, and truly brutal and heart wrenching moments. And it’s joyfully creepy. To all the artistic directors out there, take it from a performer and writer… you should absolutely stage a production of this. It’s perfect for Spooky Season or any time.
I thoroughly enjoyed performing in this show. The script has everything necessary to make it a hit – The plot is engaging, with an unexpected twist at the end. The scenes are short, which makes the play fly by – no dragged out extra long moments here! Tension mounts from the beginning moments and the climax of the show is so intense, the audience doesn’t know how to react! You end up simultaneously feeling sympathy for and hating Butch. None of the murders are shown on stage, but you feel them all.
The author allows for plenty of creative interpretation of the spooky haunted elements. A theatre with a small budget can pull this off easily, and a big budget theatre could go hog wild with the special effects and make it spectacular.
Now someone needs to make this a movie, it’s that good! 100% recommend.
Note – this is rated R or even MA for language and adult topics such as domestic violence, substance abuse, and obviously murder.
Review Amityville ’74.