Bay Street Theater uses stage to help students connect with literary classics

A stage performance of the classic science fiction story "Fahrenheit 451" at the Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor has ignited conversations among local students and others about the decline of reading and dangers of social media.

The production, directed by Sag Harbor resident and Bay Street co-founder Stephen Hamilton, was part of a longtime Bay Street Theater program called Literature Live!, which stages plays adapted from reading material taught in high school classrooms and invites school groups to attend for free.

The theater and local teachers also have used the staging of "The Great Gatsby," "The Scarlet Letter" and "Of Mice and Men" to engage students in conversations about classic literary works.

In the case of "Fahrenheit 451," the story serves to highlight the decline of reading, the perils of social media use and how to keep hope in the age of pessimism, cast members said.

The play, adapted by author Ray Bradbury from his 1953 novel, is set in a dystopian future where firefighters start fires and books are banned. The alarms answered by protagonist Guy Montag bring him to the homes of people hiding books. A new neighbor, Clarisse, inspires Montag to think critically about the world around him and his role in it, ultimately pushing him to start reading.

Bradbury wrote the novel when television was on the rise, the book burnings of Nazi Germany were fresh, and the McCarthy era — when the suspicion of a person harboring “un-American” ideas put them under a microscope — was in full swing.

“Ray Bradbury really had a feeling for what was coming in terms of the way multimedia entertainment would replace books, if books aren’t valued,” said J. Stephen Brantley, who plays Beatty, Montag’s fire chief.

“It doesn't originate with any kind of government decree at all. People sort of allow it to happen,” Brantley said. “They get distracted by what looks a lot like social media — and do nothing while books and other forms of information are taken from them.”

Play's message for young people

Daniela Mastropietro, who plays Mildred Montag, whose attention is consumed by screens, said the play is an “allegory to the addiction to social media” and the decline of reading.

“I feel like it’s definitely necessary to [communicate] with young people that reading is very important — and it’s important to hear all different voices and to go farther than a scroll, to actually dive deeper into it,” Mastropietro said. “There’s a person behind every book.”

Literature helps people think and form their own opinions, Mastropietro said — a skill particularly important for young people.

Less than half of U.S. adults read books, according to the most recent survey by the National Endowment for the Arts. From 2012 to 2022, the percentage of adults who read a book declined by 11%, the survey said.

Brantley said "Fahrenheit 451" highlights the threat facing libraries and books across the country.

The American Library Association is preparing for cuts in federal funding under the current administration, according to its most recent report on the nation's libraries. The removal of material from public libraries — particularly books with LGBTQ themes and characters — remains a national fight. "Fahrenheit 451" itself, which includes mature themes such as violence and drug use, appears on the ALA’s list of frequently banned or challenged young adult books.

For some, an intro to live theater

"Fahrenheit 451" is the latest in Bay Street’s continuing Literature Live! series. For some Long Island students, the program offers their first exposure to professional, live theater, Bay Street officials said. After each performance, students have an opportunity to discuss the play with the actors.

“Bay Street is a hub. It’s a place where people can gather year-round and keep the community together. They share in it and it’s educational,” said Stewart Lane, a Bay Street board member who also appears in the play’s ensemble.

Justin Dulfon, an English teacher at Hampton Bays High School, said the themes in "Fahrenheit 451" are “universal.” He said his class’s trip to the play “led to some really fruitful conversations of the thematic content.”

“The book has a strong theme of maintaining personal connections with the people in your life, and I think that resonated well with the kids,” Dulfon said. “Because even though everyone's got a cellphone on them … and technology is always moving quickly, I think the book really just drives home the point that making a difference in the world starts with just having good relationships with the people around you.”

Dan Pavacic, who plays Fireman Black, said the theme of hope — in the face of fear and cynicism — runs through the entire story.

“What I wish kids could take away from the play is that regardless of the obstacles in front of you, or barriers that we face as a society, sometimes the smallest person can spark change — and it's never too late to do so,” Pavacic said.