By Audrey Anderson
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Judith Kalaora, Artistic Director of History at Play, presented “Rendezvous with Rachel,” an historical play about Rachel Revere at the Needham Free Public Library (NFPL). Kalaora portrayed Rachel as she prepared to leave Boston weeks after her husband, Paul Revere, left on his historic ride. Rachel had concerns, and she talked them over with the audience, as though they were her contemporaries.
Neighbors were fleeing their houses. There was destruction and a large fire in her neighborhood. General Gage made a statement that those who left Boston would not be allowed to return.
Rachel hadn’t heard from Paul until a letter arrived a fortnight after his departure. In his letter, Paul told Rachel to get together all the money she could and give it and her reply letter to Dr. Benjamin Church, a son of liberty. Rachel was worried because she had heard that Dr. Church might be consorting with the British.
Rachel proceeded to get the nine children in the family ready for the journey. Eight of the children were from Paul’s first marriage to Sarah Orne, who had passed away in 1773. An infant, the ninth child, was Rachel’s own.
As Rachel gathered all the money they had, 125 pounds sterling, she also thought over Paul’s puzzling directive to send the beds first, before leaving with the children. She consulted with the audience. Then, she remembered that it was illegal to take food out of Boston. She hid her expensive cones of sugar inside the mattresses and packed their belongings in one trunk. They had already surrendered their weapons to the British as decreed.
Reluctantly, Rachel handed the sterling and her letter to Dr. Church, fearing that he was not trustworthy. Sarah’s son Paul took their beds and trunk to the ferry. Rachel bravely decided that the family “must all depend upon each other” and that “they would celebrate at the house when this was over.”
At the conclusion of the play, Executive Director of the Needham Historical Society, Gloria Greis, spoke about the role of Needham’s militia during the events of the play. On April 19, 1775, one hundred and eighty-five East Needham militia reported to the center of town to get weapons and ammunition. They walked along Central Avenue to Lower Falls and into Watertown Square. There they were redirected from Lexington toward Boston on Concord Road (now Massachusetts Avenue). As they reached Jason Russell’s house near Monotomy (now Arlington), they found that the British had killed Russell and everyone in the house. Five members of the Needham militia perished in battle.
To commemorate the 250th anniversary of these events, the historical society walked from Needham to the Jason Russell house along the actual route taken by the Needham militia. The walk took place at 8:34 am on April 19, 2025. Buses were available for those who are not able to walk.
Judith Kalaora concluded the program by taking questions from the audience.
