The story of the Bell Witch is a familiar one. There have been countless movies, TV shows, articles, and books written and produced — but none have truly captured the essence of the story the way it has been passed down from generation to generation like Adams’ own David Alford’s play Spirit: The Authentic Story of the Bell Witch of Tennessee.

Alford, known for his role in the ABC-TV show Nashville and his great passion, experience and talent in the arts, was the perfect choice for Kay Bagby, board member and former president of Community Spirit, to pen the play.

She wanted someone who would tell the story authentically, based on historical accounts. Alford immediately said “yes” and admits his fascination with the story since childhood drove him to do the project.

Spirit is being presented by Community Spirit, Inc. and the city of Adams for the 14th consecutive year. Performances are continuing as part of the Bell Witch Fall Festival, at 7 p.m. on Oct. 27-29 at the Bell School Community Complex Brooksher Outdoor Pavilion, off Highway 41 N. in Adams.

Director Sam Walton is planning to take Spirit back to its original roots this year. He has been a member of the Screen Actors Guild for 33 years and has played in many movies, TV movies, and shows, such as Footloose, Touched by an Angel, Santa Barbara, and Perfect Murder, Perfect Town: Jon Bennet and the City of Boulder.

Dalton’s cast is also filled with seasoned actors. In the role of Betsy Bell, Jayla Palmer is one of the stars of the recently-release faith-based film Remember the Goal. JJ Rodgers, Kate Batts, Tale Teller, and Theny’s Aunt, has a long list of accomplishments in theatre and movies including a recurring role on Nashville and has co-starred on such TV shows as Two and a Half Men and Third Rock from the Sun.

Other veterans of the stage and/or screen include Trin Blakely (Lucy Bell), Will Miranne (Drewry Bell), Springfield residents Bradley Gale (John Bell Jr.) and Brandon Copeland, Melissa Selingo (Theny Thorn) who just finished playing Callie in Smoke: A Ballad of the Night Riders, Danny Proctor (James Johnston, Joe Edwards, and Billy Wall), Jordan Stephens (Elder Sugg Fort), who was featured in the A&E series Cursed: The Bell Witch Project, and the voice of the Spirit, Kate, played by Lynda Cameron-Bayer which will be performed live, off-stage.

Three descendants of the Bell family are also in the play this year. Bob Bell will play John Bell, Sr.; Analeese Bell will play Richard Williams Bell; and Brent House (cousin of Bob and descendent of Joel Bell) will play Rev. James Gunn.

“We are really excited about the direction of the play this year,” said Jim Lindsey, president of Community Spirit. “We wanted to get it back to its original storyline in keeping with our mission: To promote, preserve, and transmit the stories, traditions, and culture of the Sulphur Fork and Red River area of Robertson County, Tennessee through quality theatrical productions and other means.”

For Dalton, the project has become a family matter.

“Whether or not you believe the Bell family’s tale of being haunted and terrorized by a disembodied entity they called ‘Kate’, it doesn’t matter. Something happened, which changed them forever. And for me, that’s what Spirit really is about. Family. The soul of Spirit comes alive when it’s manifest with all of the play’s raw truth and honesty for all of us to watch and experience ‘up-close-and-personal’ by a cast of very talented actors who breathe life into the members of the Bell family as well as the Red River (Adams) townsfolk with whom they associated. We laugh. We cry. We fear. We empathize. We coalesce. We become…part of the family.”

Tickets are available at the door or they can be purchased online at www.bellwitchfallfestival.com.

About the Play

“SPIRIT” revisits the documented events of the Bell Family who moved from their native North Carolina to Red River, now Adams, TN. In 1804, the unexplainable began: moving objects and pinching and slapping of family members; a particular hatred for patriarch John Bell and his youngest daughter Betsy who bore the brunt of physical abuse; and the culmination of John Bell’s death. Countless theories have emerged to explain “Kate,” the self-named phenomenon, but the mystery of the Bell Witch remains unsolved today.