HALLOWELL — Gaslight Theater’s production of “Mrs. Packard” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. with a 2 p.m. matinee between March 22-30 at Hallowell City Hall.

The story, written by Emily Mann and directed by Bruce Hertz, is about how Mrs. Packard deals with man’s inhmanity to women — more specifically, one husband’s inhumanity to his wife.

In 1861, Elizabeth Parsons Ware Packard had the misfortune of differing with her Calvinist preacher spouse’s beliefs in church doctrine. At the time, Illinois law held that a husband could commit his wife to an asylum on the grounds of insanity without her consent or having to produce any evidence at a public hearing.

So the Reverend Theophilus Packard took the state up on its offer after his wife refused to recant her liberal views of God’s intentions. The furious Packard claimed Elizabeth was not just mentally impaired but unable to care for the couple’s six children.

This true story, infuriating and inspiring, portrays one woman’s struggle to right a system gone wrong.

Hallowell City Hall is at 1 Winthrop St. Tickets are $12/adults, $10/students and seniors. Call 207-626-3698 or visit www.gaslighttheater.org for reservations.