FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Aaron Majors & Rose Pearson
Phone: 817.877.3040 & 817.480.6909
Email: aaronmajors@circletheatre.com
plays@circletheatre.com
Circle Theatre Premieres The Whipping Man
Fort Worth, TX - March 2012 - Circle Theatre’s 31st Season continues with a new, award-winning
play by playwright Matthew Lopez, The Whipping Man. Critically acclaimed from coast to coast, the
New York Times hailed The Whipping Man as “haunting, striking, and powerful,” and the San Diego
Union Tribune noted that “Matthew Lopez's affecting, suspenseful, and searing play strips the skin off
such lofty ideas as freedom and honor to peer at the raw nerves underneath.” Preview performances
are Thursday, March 22; Friday, March 23; and Saturday, March 24 (matinee). The production
officially opens Saturday, March 24, at 8:00pm, followed by a post-show party with the cast and crew,
sponsored by Oliver’s Fine Foods and The Cupcakery.
Director, Harry Parker, states, “The Whipping Man, is a Civil War drama of rare power and human
insight. It is a thrilling story about slavery, religion, friendship, and betrayal that we believe will be a
very exciting theatre experience for Circle audiences.”
A post-show “talkback” featuring the cast, Harry Parker (Director), Tre Garrett (Artistic Director Jubilee Theatre), and Rabbi Ralph Mecklenburger of Fort Worth’s Beth-El Congregation, will
immediately follow the performance on Saturday, March 31, at 8:00pm.
Under the direction of Harry Parker, Circle Theatre’s production of The Whipping Man features
David Jeremiah (John), William “Bill” Earl Ray* (Simon), and Montgomery Sutton* (Caleb).
Production team members for The Whipping Man are Kelly Pino* (Stage Manager & Props
Designer), Krista Scott (Dialect Coach), Clare Floyd DeVries (Set Designer), Drenda Lewis
(Costume Designer), David H. M. Lambert (Sound Designer), and John Leach (Lighting Designer).
About the Play
An emotional and mesmerizing drama, The Whipping Man provides powerful insight into the human
condition. Set in war-ravaged Virginia, a Jewish Confederate soldier and two freed slaves face the
harsh reality of post-Civil War life. As the three men reunite to celebrate Passover, they uncover a
tangle of secrets that could cost each man his freedom. (Contains strong language and a graphic
amputation scene.)
Photos are available upon request. Approximate running time for the show is 2 hours, including one
15-minute intermission.
* Member of Actors’ Equity Association
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Playwright
Matthew Lopez's play, The Whipping Man, is one of the more produced new
American plays. Most recently, it played in New York to an acclaimed, sold-out run
at Manhattan Theatre Club, directed by Doug Hughes and starring Andre Braugher
(Men of a Certain Age). This production won Matthew the John Gassner
Playwriting Award from the Outer Critics Circle. The Whipping Man premiered in
2006 at Luna Stage in Montclair, NJ and was subsequently produced at Penumbra
Theatre Company, Barrington Stage, and The Old Globe, prior to arriving in New
York in 2011. The Old Globe in San Diego is currently presenting the world premiere of Lopez’s
recent play, Somewhere, directed by Giovanna Sardelli. Somewhere has previously been seen in a
workshop production at Summer Play Festival in 2008, under the title Tio Pepe. Matthew holds new
play commissions from Roundabout Theatre Company and The Old Globe, where he is also Artist-inResidence. Other plays include Reverberation and Zoey’s Perfect Wedding. He is currently adapting
a musical version of the film Mad Hot Ballroom, to be directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell.
Director
Harry Parker is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Theatre at Texas
Christian University. He has directed more than 80 professional and university
plays and musicals, including productions at the Kennedy Center (Washington
D.C.), Stages Repertory Theatre (Houston), American Heartland Theatre (Kansas
City), and Lyric Theatre (Oklahoma City). In Fort Worth, his professional directing
credits include Permanent Collection for Jubilee Theatre, A Nervous Smile for
Amphibian Stage Productions, and Ellis Island: The Dream of America for the Fort
Worth Symphony Orchestra at Bass Hall. The Whipping Man is the 10th show he has directed at
Circle Theatre, where his credits also include Over the Tavern, Bus Stop, Picasso at the Lapin Agile
and The Fantasticks. At TCU, he has directed Oklahoma!, You Can’t Take It With You, and Little
Women among others. Originally from Oklahoma City, Harry received his BFA from TCU, and an MA
and Ph.D. from the University of Kansas. He is a two-time winner of the Kennedy Center Medallion of
Excellence, and he is the former National Chair of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre
Festival. Harry is an associate member of The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.
About Circle Theatre
Founded in 1981 by Rose Pearson and Bill Newberry, Circle Theatre is currently producing its 31st
season of live theatre in Fort Worth, TX. Circle Theatre's mission is the advocacy of contemporary
plays rarely seen in our community. We are committed to presenting professional, innovative theatre
in an intimate setting. Circle Theatre is partially supported by the City of Fort Worth, the Arts Council
of Fort Worth and Tarrant County, the Community Foundation of North Texas, the Texas Commission
on the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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The Whipping Man
What:
by Matthew Lopez
Where:
Circle Theatre
230 W. Fourth Street
Fort Worth, TX 76102
Sundance Square Entertainment District
When:
Previews:
March 22 - April 14
March 22, 23, and 24 (3:00pm matinee)
Opening:
Saturday, March 24, 8:00pm
Shows:
Thursdays at 7:30pm
Fridays at 8:00pm
Saturdays at 3:00pm & 8:00pm
Talkback:
Post-performance on March 31, 8:00pm
Prices:
Previews
Thursday, March 22, 7:30pm
Friday, March 23, 8:00pm
Saturday, March 24, 3:00pm
$10
$15
$10
Opening Night
Saturday, March 24, 8:00pm
$30
Regular Ticket Prices
Thursday at 7:30pm
Fridays at 8:00pm
Saturdays at 3:00pm
Saturdays at 8:00pm
$20 - $25
$25 - $30
$20 - $25
$25 - $30
Friday, March 30 is “University Night” at Circle Theatre. Student tickets will be available for $5.
Faculty and staff tickets are available for $10. These tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served
basis. Advance reservations are strongly suggested. Use the code UNIV to redeem this offer when
buying tickets online.
Active-Duty Military, Students and Senior Citizens (65+) may receive a $5 discount on any full-priced
ticket.
Student Rush tickets are half price, 30 minutes before show time (subject to availability).
Groups of 10 or more may receive a $5 discount on each full-priced ticket.
Circle Theatre offers discounts with the KERA Member Rewards Card, Sundance Square Insider
Coupon and Star-Telegram Press Pass.
Seating is limited and reservations are recommended. Box Office hours are Tuesday - Friday,
12:00pm - 5:00pm, and one hour prior to performances. Tickets may be purchased by visiting
CircleTheatre.com, or by calling the box office at 817.877.3040.
The Whipping Man is presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.