Young and the Restless’ and Days of our Lives’ Judith Chapman Takes On Director Role

If you’ve ever wondered where your favorite actor goes off to when you don’t see them in a show or film, chances are they’re in the theater, continuing to hone their craft. The Young and the Restless and Days of Our Lives star Judith Chapman not only enjoys performing on the stage, she’s also behind the scenes as a director, and has two entertaining performances coming up.

Save the Earth

A press release from California’s Palm Canyon Theatre announced that soap star Judith Chapman would be directing two plays: Sundew, and Shunned. An actor involved in the projects posted to Facebook on September 5, “Award Winning Actress and Director Judith Chapman is realizing her PASSION PROJECT, 10 years in the making. A second production of her award winning Sundew, which speaks to protecting our Garden of Eden from the ravages of progress and greed.” (Find out when Chapman was Soap Hub’s Performer of the Week!)

According to the theater’s website, the play revolves around an old, eccentric lady who is, “Desperately clinging to wooded property she believes is the real, Biblical Eden.” It emphasizes the importance of ecology, and how self-sacrifice can help save the Earth.  

The script was written by playwright, Larry Parr, who brought to life plays like The Story of Hattie McDaniel, and is an award winning, regional producer. He’s known for telling stories with a lot of substance and deep meanings.

An Amish Paradise…or Is It?

Chapman’s second play, Shunned — which is also written and produced by Parr — will be performed on alternating nights with Sundew, illustrating her expertise at being able to coordinate two vastly different plays simultaneously. The play delves into the isolated lifestyle of the Amish people.

The theater website described the play as, “A realistic portrait of Amish life and philosophy, and problems facing the community in today’s world.” Among the cast is Janice Lynde, who played Leslie on Y&R. Here, she portrays a character named Katherine Yoder, and, “Brings an exceptional presence to the evocative production that lifts the veil on Amish life, highlighting the universal feeling of isolation faced by its characters.”

Congratulations, Judith! (Learn about her last Y&R appearance in 2023.)