The Whipping Man Opens January 10

Iowa City - Dreamwell Theatre presents The Whipping Man by Matthew Lopez, directed by Rachael Lindhart. Performances will be at 7:30 p.m., January 10-11 and 17-18 at the Unitarian Universalist Center, 10 s. Gilbert St., Iowa City. There will be a special performance at 7:30 on January 25 at the First Street Community Center, 221 First St., Mt. Vernon

It is April, 1865. The Civil War is over and throughout the south, slaves are being freed, soldiers are returning home and in Jewish homes, the annual celebration of Passover is being celebrated. Into the chaos of war-torn Richmond comes Caleb DeLeon, a young Confederate officer who has been severely wounded. He finds his family’s home in ruins and abandoned, save for two former slaves, Simon and John, who wait in the empty house for the family’s return. As the three men wait for signs of life to return to the city, they wrestle with their shared past, the bitter irony of Jewish slave-owning and the reality of the new world in which they find themselves. The sun sets on the last night of Passover and Simon – having adopted the religion of his masters – prepares a humble Seder to observe the ancient celebration of the freeing of the Hebrew slaves from Egypt, noting with particular satisfaction the parallels to their current situation. But the pain of their enslavement will not be soothed by this tradition, and deep-buried secrets from the past refuse to be hidden forever as the play comes to its shocking climax.

Directed by Rachael Lindhart, the cast is as follows:

Caleb – Felipe Carrasco
Simon – Roe Lloyd
John – Ruben Lebron-Vellegas

Tickets available here.


Source: Dreamwell press release