SEQUIM — One hundred years since the Scopes Monkey Trial, and 70 years since its fictionalized retelling “Inherit the Wind” was first staged, those involved in Olympic Theatre Arts’ upcoming adaptation say the classic is still as relevant as ever.
“In these turbulent times, being asked to choose to think one way or another, it’s important for us to realize our own truth,” show director Christy Holy said.
“It’s very easy to see this play as two-sided — creationism versus evolution — but it’s really about the fact that we all have the freedom to think for ourselves.”
“Inherit the Wind” runs for three weeks, from Sept. 12-28, in OTA’s Gathering Hall, 414 N. Sequim Ave., at 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays.
For tickets, call 360-683-7326 or visit olympictheatrearts.org.
“Inherit the Wind” fictionalizes the State of Tennessee v. John T. Scopes case from 1925, when Scopes went to trial for teaching the theory of evolution in a Tennessee high school classroom, where it was against the law.
The play, by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee, turns principle players lawyer/politician William Jennings Bryan into Matthew Harrison Brady (played in Sequim by Ron Graham), defense attorney Clarence Darrow into Henry Drummond (Steve Rodeman), Scopes into teacher Bertram “Bert” Cates (Matt Forrest), and journalist H.L. Mencken into E.K. Hornbeck (Vince Campbell).
Holy said the show is an immersive experience with The Gathering Hall re-creating a courtroom where actors move throughout the audience and some directly address attendees as they make their points in court.
A personal play
For a few actors, the show is an especially personal experience.
Rodeman takes on the role of Drummond, which his brother Rich performed in high school decades ago. It was that show where he also distinctly recalls understanding the concept of a theater play, and through the years, he’s studied the play and the true story behind it, he’s written papers on it, performed competitive speeches about it, and used portions of the play in theater competitions.
“So when this play was announced as part of the season, it’s like I’ve waited 50 years to play this part,” Rodeman said.
For Carl Honore, he first performed in “Inherit the Wind” 43 years ago at The Lilian Fontaine Garden Theater in Saratoga, Calif., where he attributes his first speaking role on stage at age 25 as Jesse Dunlap, a farmer.
“This brings me back full circle,” he said.
Honore has been involved with OTA for 30-plus years in various capacities in 50 plays. For this show, he plays both Elijah, “the reverend’s right-hand man,” as he puts it, and a radio announcer who is the first to live broadcast the trial over the air.
“After seeing all of the movies and many different productions, I get something new out of it every time I see it,” he said.
Thoughts expounded
While evolution is front and center, Honore said the play is intended as a commentary on the time when people were afraid to express themselves because they were afraid of being labeled a communist and blackballed from working.
“It presents the idea to the audience that an abstract concept like a person’s right to think can actually be put on trial,” he said.
“Even today, there are things being questioned. The play is very topical.”
Rodeman said his character is there to help inspire the next person facing a crisis to stand up.
“We’re still having the same arguments today,” he said.
“(People say) you can’t have this book in the library or you have to have these posters in the workplace that violate or conflict with other people’s fundamental beliefs, and the answer to that is to have a conversation about how to accommodate people’s beliefs, not to demonize the other person, the other party, the other side.”
Rodeman said Holy has helped him see Drummond as a humanist who deals with people in different ways rather than just arguing with them.
Graham, who plays Rodeman’s opponent in the courtroom, said “Inherit the Wind” presents both sides of the aisle well.
“Most interesting to me, especially in this day and age, people try to communicate their feelings and try to convince the other person of their wrongness or of their own rightness, and frequently it devolves into a shouting match,” he said.
“You can’t convince someone with yelling. In a courtroom, there’s some sense of decorum, a back-and-forth dialogue where you can present your point of view. It causes people to think, and I think this show does that well.”
Rodeman said the lawyers address issues “rationally and from a position of a constructive argument.”
“In other words, it’s not personal, it’s about the merit of the case that is being made,” he said.
“Although we are adversaries, we respect and admire each other.”
He said that’s how problems should be resolved.
“There is a point to be made on either side, and each side has to respect where the other one’s coming from,” Rodeman said.
For everyone
Holy said “Inherit the Wind” has something for everyone regardless of their beliefs.
“The theme of the show is freedom of thought, and it’ll make you think,” she said.
“That’s important now to get clear about our own truth and where we’re getting our own truth.”
With 21 actors, Holy said everyone has contributed in a generous way.
“I’m really proud of how the whole cast is coming together … everyone is very invested in presenting their characters as real people, and I think that’s being done very, very well,” Graham said.
He encourages audiences to come early as he’s found people tend to wait in Sequim, but shows have been selling out late in their runs.
“People are starting to realize OTA puts forth really strong shows and that they’re something to see and experience,” Graham said. “I hope people will consider that … this is a very poignant story and important.”
Show time
Olympic Theatre Arts’ Gathering Hall, 414 N. Sequim Ave.
Sept. 12-28
7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays.
Tickets: visit olympictheatrearts.org, or call the box office from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays.
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Matthew Nash is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. He can be reached by email at matthew.nash@sequimgazette.com.
