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“There were those who didn’t want him to have it because they wanted him to work for them, those who whispered, ‘Don’t let him have it,’ ” said William Wallace, now 71, who often oystered on his father’s boat and was involved in the discussions.

“See these guys here?” asked Shannon Hartsfield, whose family has fished and oystered and crabbed and shrimped here for four generations.

Ms. Gunderson is also well served by much of the cast, particularly Mr. McNall, an Off Broadway treasure who was until recently oystered away at the Pearl Theater.