From The City Paper 09/13/2004:

Rep opens season with Inherit the Wind
By AMY STUMPFL
 
When David Alford took the helm as artistic director of the Tennessee Repertory Theatre in July, he said that one of his primary goals was to present plays that were relevant to the Nashville audience. As the Rep opens its 2004-05 season with Inherit the Wind, Alford certainly appears to have accomplished his goal.

Written by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee in the 1950s, Inherit the Wind examines one of the most unique chapters of Tennessee's storied history. Inspired by the famed 1925 "Scopes Monkey Trial," the play dramatizes the courtroom battle that took place after a teacher broke a state law that banned the teaching of Darwin's Theory of Evolution. And while a few liberties have been taken with the facts of the case, Inherit the Wind draws heavily from the actual trial. In fact, some of the dialogue is lifted nearly verbatim from the trial transcript.

"I believe we have a responsibility to our audience," said Alford, who is also directing the production. "It's important to choose shows that are relevant to life here in Nashville. We're calling this our homecoming season, and Inherit the Wind is the perfect way to open. Next year marks the 80th anniversary of this trial, and yet the play is just as relevant today as when it was first produced."

So it may surprise you to learn that this is the first professional production of Inherit the Wind to be performed in Nashville - ever.

"Although the play was written in 1955, some still find the subject to be extremely controversial - that says a lot about the piece," Alford said. "I think it's especially timely, particularly with this being an election year. There is so much public discourse right now - so much shouting, but no one is really listening to each other."

Beyond the controversial nature of the play, there is also the issue of cast size - a mighty challenge in itself. Alford has assembled a cast of more than 40 Nashville actors, including Mark Cabus and Cecil Jones in the lead roles, Matt Chiorini, Matt Carlton, Henry Haggard, Carol Ponder, Pete Vann, Brian Webb Russell, Sam Whited and many other familiar faces.

"It's very important to me to cast parts locally," Alford said. "This story is about Tennessee, and I wanted to have Tennessee actors playing the parts. We're fortunate to have so many talented performers working here in our community."

Actor Mark Cabus agrees, noting the unique perspective that local performers bring to the stage.

"It's an important story, and I think that as Southerners we have a better understanding of it," said Cabus, who plays Henry Drummond, the character based on famed attorney Clarence Darrow. "Too often you see Hollywood portray Southerners as eccentric or quirky. This story is not particularly flattering to Tennessee, but I think we offer a fair portrayal, and I'm excited to be a part of that."

"There is a very different nuance to seeing this production in Nashville, as opposed to, say, Boston," added Matt Chiorini, who plays E.K. Hornbeck in the show. Hornbeck is based on a brilliant Baltimore journalist named H.L. Mencken, who covered the sensational trial.

"It would be very easy to present this story as a black and white issue, but as with most things there are a lot of shades of gray," Chiorini said. "It's not really about Southerners - it's about change and how difficult it can be to accept."

For Alford's part, Inherit the Wind offers an important reminder of what brings people together - and what can drive them apart.

"For me, the show is really about new ideas - and new ideas are always met with resistance. The challenge is to keep listening to each other. At the end of the day it's important to be able to say that 'I hear you, I understand where you're coming from even if I don't agree with you.'"

Getting There
The Tennessee Repertory Theatre presents Inherit the Wind from through Sept. 25 at the James K. Polk Theater at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC), 505 Deaderick Street. Tickets are available at the TPAC Box Office, Davis-Kidd Booksellers in Green Hills or any Ticketmaster outlet. For a complete schedule and ticket information, call Ticketmaster at 255-ARTS (2787) or check out www.tnrep.org; www.tpac.org; or www.ticketmaster.com