I spent some time in Sarasota in January as the Asolo Repertory Theatre is celebrating its 65th season. The Producing Artistic Director Peter Rothstein has announced an ambitious collection of theatrical fare in its beautiful Asolo Theatre that offers subscribers a great lineup of musicals and plays to “entertain and challenge” them. In November of 2023 Crazy For You, a Gershwin musical from the 1920s, arrived under the direction and choreography of Denis Jones; and in January Artistic Director Peter Rothstein staged a new production of Inherit The Wind as a powerful drama with an excellent cast of more than twenty-five regional members of Actors Equity plus apprentices.
Mark Benninghofer and Andrew Long (Sorcha Augustine)
An American classic from the 1995 Broadway season, this sizzling drama was written by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee. It dealt with the 1925 Tennessee Governor’s signing into law the Butler Act that disallowed teaching of any theory of human evolution except as taught in the Bible. The bill made headlines and served as the cause for the appearance of Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan to legally represent the government vs John Scopes, a biology substitute teacher who lectured a class from A Civic Biology which cleared the way for prosecution.
Thirty years later when Joseph McCarthy began his verbal attacks against suspected communists, Lawrence and Lee wrote this play to dramatize “when intellectual artistic spirit” is again being corseted . For the play, the two lawyers were renamed Drummond and Brady, and Scopes became Gates.
David Breitbarth, Ryan Schmidt, Mark Benninghof (Sorcha Augustine)
The first two are lawyers and old time friends who are now trying to understand how two such disparate viewpoints could co-exist, but each still affirms his rival’s humanity. Even so, the powerful court of public opinion rains brimstone and fire over this trial.
Director Rothstein has staged this very large company with amazing fluidity. There are so many characters who pop in and out to interject a question or a comment, and his ability to maintain focus is remarkable. Also, as hymn singing is so vital to the religious factions, his use of it to introduce each act is fortunate and effective.
Andrew Long and cast (Sorcha Augustine)
Mark Benninghofen plays Drummond as a very human being whose convictions are clear and recognizable. Andrew Long’s Brady is big and booming. He equates power with size and ultimately wins his case but loses his life to a previously intimated heart condition because of the energy with which he proclaimed throughout . There is hope at play’s end that reason will ultimately prevail, but watch out! There is always danger lurking, and this play advocates that we remain aware and alert.
The physical production is absolutely first rate. Kate Johnson’s scenery is fluid and moves effectively and quietly with great effect. Fabian Aguilar’s costumes are helpful, and the lighting design by Philip Rosenberg always contributes and supports. It was a pleasure to note an interested, involved audience clearly enjoying good work being well done.