Psych and Twin Peaks Stars to Appear in A New Stage Play About Pro Wrestling

By Russ Burlingame

James Roday Rodriguez, star of A Million Little Things and Psych, is teaming up with Connecticut's The Legacy Theatre to present the world premiere of Masters of Puppets, a new play about professional wrestling, written by Laurence Davis and directed by Gabe McKinley. Master of Puppets will begin its limited run at The Legacy Theatre on Thursday, May 25, and run through June 11, 2023. Described as "a no-holds-barred battle that shows what happens when money, love, and a real rough business collide," Master of Puppets is a fictionalized look at the shady side of professional wrestling, written by insider Laurence Davis. The drama takes audiences from the corner office to the top turnbuckle, and will star Dana Ashbrook (Twin Peaks), Amanda Detmer (Fox's Empire), Kurt Fuller (CBS's Evil), Michael Hogan (Fox's The Resident), Michael Bobenhausen (Imposters) and Joshua W. Heggie (Big River).

Roday has worked with the WWE before, and is a well-documented fan of pro wrestling, giving him some bona fides to produce such a show. Because it's a stage show, the website for tickets helpfully notes that "there is no puppetry in the performance."

"I have been a pro wrestling fan my whole life," Rodriguez said in a statement. "From its humble beginnings in traveling carnivals to the billion-dollar industry that fills arenas across the world, one thing has always been intrinsic to its machinations: storytelling. Masters of Puppets peels back the canvas and gives us a peek at the shoots behind the works, and it's absolutely electric. Ging Ging."

"How exciting to begin the season as the host of the World Premiere of this thrilling new work, Masters of Puppets, with such seasoned, recognizable visiting artists in this precious seaside town in Stony Creek," said Keely Baisden Knudsen, the Legacy Theatre's artistic director. "Orson Welles presented his bold, new theatrical work at this very venue in the 1930s, and I am moved to produce programming in a similar vein nearly a hundred years later, championing new works that challenge and thrill audiences. This one is particularly fulfilling as I am collaborating with artists I have known for 25 years."

The creative team includes Jamie Burnett (scenic and lighting design), Gali Noy (costume design), Adam Jackson (sound design), Erica Pajonas (props design), Emmett Cassidy (fight choreographer), and T. Rick Jones (production stage manager).  

"There's always been questions as to what's real and what's fake in the world of wrestling, and those questions continue to this day," said Jeff Provost, the theatre's managing director. "This piece explores the topic in a really thought-provoking way. It's a gritty, no-holds-barred approach to the subject matter. We are happy to present its World Premiere."

The world premiere of Masters of Puppets debuts at The Legacy Theatre (128 Thimble Islands Road, Branford, CT 06405) on Thursday, May 25, at 7 p.m. Performances run through June 11, with shows on Thursdays at 7 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are on sale now; season subscribers to all four productions receive a 25 percent discount. 

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