Wilmington actor turns one-man show into a film premiering on Vimeo

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A Wilmington actor got creative when the one-man shows he planned to perform were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Ashley Strand performs The Book of Mark, a dramatic narrative based on the book of Mark in the Bible. The story highlights Jesus’ baptism, crucifixion and resurrection.

Christopher Marino brought Strand to Wilmington in 2016 to do Measure for Measure with Alchemical Theatre of Wilmington.

Marino later persuaded Stand to perform the King James Version of the book of Mark which was published in 1611 the same year Hamlet was first performed.

“The language is very similar to what I was used to with Shakespeare and it fit with our mission of bringing classic texts to life,” Strand said. “I also like the idea of being the only performer on the stage.”

When the pandemic forced Strand to cancel shows he already scheduled, he and a friend decided to make a film with him performing the text inside his apartment.

“I just couldn’t accept that people weren’t going to see it, so I had to adapt,” Strand said.

The Book of Mark premieres August 14 on Vimeo. You can watch it free on opening night with the code BOMFREE, and half price on August 15 and 16 with the code BOMHALF.