Campbell, who grew up in Bethel and Randolph, Vt., first learned of the murders as most Upper Valley residents did -- through reading the countless news stories that appeared as the case unfolded. She said she knew immediately that she at some point in the future wanted to write about the tragedy. That time came five years later.
"Dreamtime" remains startlingly faithful to the facts of the case: Willy and Noah, two characters based on the Chelsea, Vt., teenagers who committed the crime, brutally stab a pair of Dartmouth professors in an attempt to steal enough cash to make their way to Australia.
The 17-year-old characters, portrayed by Joey Behlendorf and Adam Langdon, approach the home of the fictional Joerg and Greta Adler (played by Clarke Jordan and producer Mary Scripps), posing as students conducting an environmental survey. Joerg allows the pair to enter his home to discuss the survey. Taking advantage of Joerg's kindness, one of the students stabs the professor and orders his accomplice to slit Greta's throat. In the chaos, the boys leave behind a knife sheath, providing a crucial lead to investigators. The pair flees Vermont shortly after the investigation begins. After a long search, authorities find the boys in Indiana and finally take them into custody.
Because the play is so firmly based in fact, Campbell said she took certain measures to make the viewing experience as "safe" as possible. To that end, the play uses common and expected theatrical conventions, such as the deconstruction of time and heavy foreshadowing, allowing audiences an opportunity to process the event.
"When [the murders] happened, we all said, 'Oh, how did this happen?' So part of what I'm doing with this play is trying to imagine how it could have happened," Campbell said following Saturday's matinee performance of "Dreamtime."
Thus, with "Dreamtime," Campbell has not created a docudrama that just rehashes events and reignites the feelings of sadness and anger that many felt in the aftermath of the murders. Instead, the performance is an artistic exploration of the murders.
Indeed, the question of sensitivity was never far from Campbell's mind throughout the writing process.
"I'm sorry for [the pain of those close to the case]," Campbell said. "But I also feel their pain. I thought about them as I wrote it. I thought about everyone connected to this. And it was with a great amount of respect that I wrote these words."
Still, for some, eight years is not enough to heal the wounds of January 27, 2001, and others don't wish to rehash events that they believe should be laid to rest -- earth sciences professor Jim Aronson, former Dartmouth Medical School Dean Bob McCollum and history professor Annelise Orleck, all friends of the Zantops, declined to give their reactions to the play.
Though Campbell said she is aware that some may find the play comes too soon, she said she had only the best intentions in writing "Dreamtime."
"I don't feel like I'm hurting anyone with this play," she added. "The pain is already there."
