Pasadena Playhouse's fresh take on Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee’s Inherit the Wind—the
fictionalized retelling of the famed 1925 "Monkey Trial," in which
science teacher John Scopes was tried and convicted for teaching
Darwin's theory of evolution—officially opens November 5 following previews that began November 1. The show is scheduled to run through November 26.
Michael Michetti directs a cast of 17 that is led by Alfred Molina (Art, Frida, Spider-Man 2) as Henry Drummond, John Douglas Thompson (Till, Jitney) as Matthew Harrison Brady, and Chris Perfetti (Abbott Elementary) as E.K. Hornbeck. The cast also includes Abubakr Ali (Grendel) as Bertram Cates, David Aaron Baker (A Raisin in the Sun) as Reverend Jeremiah Brown, and Rachel Hilson (Red, White & Royal Blue) as Rachel Brown.
The company is rounded out by Jared Bybee as Dunlap/Reporter/Radio Man, Brian Calì as Meeker/Photographer/Townsperson, Marlene Forte as Mrs. Brady, Matt Gomez Hidaka as Howard Blair, Thomas Hobson as Tom Davenport/Reporter, Michael Kostroff as Mayor/Reporter, John W. Lawson as Bannister/Reporter, Phillip J. Lewis as Sillers/Reporter, Gabriella Pizzigoni as Melinda Loomis, Rene Rivera as Judge/Reporter/Townsperson, and Pam Trotter as Mrs. Krebs.
Audience members are part of the action with onstage seating in the courtroom gallery as well as a jury box located at the foot of the stage.
The production also has costume design by Sara Ryung Clement, lighting design by Omar Madkour, sound design by Jeff Gardner, vocal arrangements by Darryl Archibald, and vocal direction by Jeffrey Bernstein. Miranda Johnson-Haddad is the dramaturg with casting by RBT Casting's Ryan Bernard Tymensky and Rose Bochner.
Inherit the Wind
originally played on Broadway in 1955 with Paul Muni
and Ed Begley originating the lawyer roles to Tony Award-winning effect.
The play was adapted for the screen in 1960 with Spencer
Tracy as Drummond, Fredric March as Brady, and Gene Kelly as Hornbeck.
Visit PasadenaPlayhouse.org.