Inherit the Wind     
by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee
Thursday–Saturday, October 1–3, 8:00 p.m., FREE (tickets required)
Inspired by the 1925 Scopes “monkey trial” in which a Tennessee high school teacher faced charges for explaining Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution to his biology class, this award-winning play bursts with passion in defense of the right to pursue knowledge wherever it may lead.

As the world in 2009 commemorates the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birth and the 150th anniversary of On the Origin of the Species, his masterwork that changed forever how people view themselves and their place in the natural order, this staged reading of “the greatest courtroom clash of the twentieth century” promises to focus our attention on the role of science that continues to be debated, misunderstood, and reviled in America.

Open discussions led by Lafayette science and other faculty will immediately follow each performance. Directed by Michael O’Neill.

Open Auditions
Thursday, September 3, 7:00 p.m.
Friday, September 4, 4:15 p.m.*
Williams Center for the Arts
*choose one

• This will be a “readers’ theater” production; all cast members will have their scripts with them at all times on stage. Rehearsals will require fewer hours of commitment than do rehearsals for fully-staged productions.

• Staff and faculty are encouraged to audition.

• Casting 15 men, 7 women, and 6 roles that can be played by either men or women: 28 parts in all.

Women:
Rachel Brown: Rachel, 22, is a second-grade teacher at Hillsboro Consolidated School. She loves Bert Cates and risks the wrath of her father, Reverend Brown, by visiting him at the jail and bringing him clothes for the trial. At first, she urges Bert to confess that he has broken the law and seek forgiveness. Brady calls her to testify against Cates and tries to twist her words to make Cates appear blasphemous. Rachel’s belief that Bert is a good person and her desires to be a good person in the eyes of her townspeople clash; while she is on the witness stand, her emotions render her speechless. Ultimately, Rachel realizes that ideas, like children, have to be born. She overcomes her fear of thinking and reads The Origin of Species. When Cates is released after the trial, she tells him she has decided to leave her father. She and Cates leave together on the train to start a new life.

Mrs. Brady: She is content to support her husband and always be in his shadow. She mothers her husband, making sure he is well fed, clothed, and comfortable. When Brady breaks down, humiliated on the witness stand, she reveals her strength, rocking and comforting the once great man. His implosion after the trial shocks her so much she screams. We last see her when she goes off, as Brady is brought to the doctor’s, where he will die.

Mrs. Krebs: A humorless Hillsboro woman of about 45 who believes strongly and strictly in Christianity, she is greedy, too, saying that as long as the visitors to town have money, she will board them in her house.

Melinda Loomis: A healthy pig-tailed girl of 12, she is teased by Howard, who tells her she and her family were all worms or blobs of jelly once. She and her mother sell lemonade as the town prepares for Brady’s arrival. She gives the organ grinder’s monkey a penny, leading Hornbeck to call it the “father of the human race." She mistakes Drummond, upon his entrance in the play at the end of the first scene, for the devil. After watching the trial, she isn’t sure who won.

Mrs. Loomis: Melinda’s mother; she and her daughter set up a lemonade stand in the square before Brady’s arrival. Mrs. McClain: Another townsperson, Mrs. McClain sells frond fans in the square before Brady’s arrival. Mrs. Blair: Young Howard’s mother, she is in search of her son in the town square, unable to control him because he feels like he’s at a county fair. She blows the pitch pipe, leading the townspeople in singing “Give Me That Old-Time Religion” as Brady’s train arrives.

Men:
Bertram Cates: Bert Cates, 24, is quiet, shy, and well mannered. Cates is in jail at the beginning of the play, arrested and about to go on trial for teaching evolution to his seventh-graders. Despite Rachel’s urgings to him to confess, Cates knows he did not do wrong. Unlike most of Hillsboro, he does not see things in black-and-white but understands that the world is complex. His intellectual musings, including the questions about the world he has whispered to Rachel, are turned against him by Brady, who sees blasphemy in his questions and observations. A unassuming young man, Cates is the center of a trial which labels him the destroyer of faith. He is fearful he will be imprisoned for years. His victory, in a town that no longer wants him, is only a partial one, but he is proud when Drummond tells him that he has made the way easier for the next man. He is full of admiration for Rachel when she chooses to think, and the two leave happily together when he is released on bail paid by Hornbeck’s paper.

Matthew Harrison Brady: A three-time Presidential candidate and famous politician worshipped by the people of Hillsboro. An indeterminate 65, Brady basks in the cheers and admiration of the people. He is always in the spotlight, speaking in the loud voice of a great orator. Brady strongly believes he is defending the faith of the world and is zealous in his efforts to do what he believes is right, whether that means stopping Rev. Brown from condemning his own daughter or prosecuting Cates to the full extent of the law. He has the support of the town until Drummond puts him on the witness stand and reveals his excessive pride and illogical beliefs. Brady believes himself to be, in effect, a prophet of God, who hears God’s will and enforces it in the world. Brady’s overeating contributes to his breakdown and ultimately his death at the play’s end.

Henry Drummond: A famous lawyer, known for his skilled legal defenses, Drummond is hired by the Baltimore Herald to defend Cates. Rev. Brown describes him as a godless man, for his defenses of the guilty, in which he twists the blame onto society and its perceptions. Drummond and Brady were once friends and maintain respect for each other. Drummond believes Brady has moved away from him simply by standing still, by not progressing with the world. Brady says that for 40 years, where Brady fights, headlines follow and sees him as a worthy opponent. Physically, he is hunched over, with a head that juts forward, making Melinda mistake him for the devil when he first appears. Drummond’s strongest showing in the courtroom stems from desperation, when the court disallows any testimony on evolution and calls Brady as an expert on the Bible. Drummond’s belief in the sanctity of ideas and freedom of thought, as well as his knowledge of Brady’s weaknesses, allows him to defend Cates for speaking his thoughts. In the end, he is an atheist who believes in God, as Hornbeck calls him, because of his respect for Brady’s convictions and ideals.

E.K. Hornbeck: A reporter from the Baltimore Herald, he is in his middle 30s and sneers politely at everything--including himself. The Herald has sent him to report on the trial and Drummond to defend Cates. Hornbeck is very critical of the town, mocking their ignorance, making jokes about the organ grinder’s monkey as father of us all. He sees Brady only as a closed-minded coward, a man who cried over himself and delivered his own eulogy. He lashes out at Drummond when he shows any sentimentality and is upset at the religion Drummond, as a supposed atheist, shows. He leaves angrily at the end of the play, disappointed in Drummond for going soft and seeing Brady as a great man.

Rev. Jeremiah Brown: Rev. Brown is the father of Rachel and the religious leader of Hillsboro. His is a controlling, fear-inducing Christianity. In the past, he preached that a young boy who died without being baptized is burning in hell. At a prayer meeting in support of the trial, he calls upon the wrath of an Old Testament God upon Cates and upon anyone, including Brown’s own daughter, who dares support him. Rachel reveals her father to be a heartless, frightening man. He tries to control his daughter, making her testify, but ultimately, she breaks free of him.

Mayor: The mayor first appears in the play when he greets Brady at the train depot, awkward in Brady’s presence, speaking a speech of welcome. He confers the rank of Honorary Colonel in the state militia on Brady. A pragmatic man, in the final scene, he tells the judge about a wire from the statehouse. The trial has garnered so much publicity that the state doesn’t want to upset voters with a harsh verdict near election time. Thus, the mayor’s political concerns lead him to warn the judge prior to sentencing, in effect making the jury’s verdict a joke.

Tom Davenport: Hillsboro’s prosecutor, he is impressed that he will, alongside Brady, be facing Drummond in court. He is a smart, ambitious attorney but rather conventional in his approaches. He is not the great orator that Brady is nor the swift legal mind that Drummond is. Unlike Brady, who sees the trial as a war for faith, he is more concerned with enforcing the letter of the law. In the courtroom, he is for the most part overshadowed by Brady. Though he objects to the unorthodox move of putting Brady on the witness stand for the defense, his objections cannot keep Brady’s excessive pride and Drummond’s questions from destroying the prosecution’s case.

Judge: A humorless man who has a nervous habit of flashing a smile after every ruling, the judge clearly leans toward the prosecution, even announcing Rev. Brown’s prayer meeting in the court. He adheres very closely to the beliefs of the town and letter of the law, not even allowing expert testimony about evolution. He is closed-minded and will not see Drummond’s point of view, the need to explore whether or not the law under which Cates was charged is right or wrong. Ultimately, he is pragmatic and when the mayor tells him about the wire from the statehouse warning about the effect of the verdict on upcoming elections, he sentences Cates only to a minor fine.

Dunlap: A farmer and cabinetmaker who is a prospective juror. The prosecution accepts him because of his exclamation that he believes in the Word of God and in Matthew Harrison Brady. Drummond tries to reject him as a juror without asking any questions and finally, after Brady objects to this, asks Drummond if he’s hot before dismissing him.

Sillers: Another prospective juror, Sillers works at a feed store and considers himself as religious as the next man, which leads Brady to accept him as a juror. Only when Drummond elicits the information that Sillers leaves the religious and “next life” to his wife and takes care of “this life” himself, Brady worries that the juror doesn’t conform to the “laws and patterns of society.”

Howard Blair: A 13-year-old boy. At the start of the play, he digs for worms to go fishing and teases Melinda by repeating what he learned from Cates about evolution--that we were all worms once. He is a witness for the prosecution, testifying that Cates taught evolution to his class. When Drummond questions him, he says he hasn’t been hurt by what Cates taught and that he hasn’t made up his mind about evolution, leading Drummond to talk about the holiness of human thought. At the end of the trial, he tells Melinda he doesn’t know who won but knows it’s over.

Meeker: The bailiff at the jail below the courthouse. He is a common, friendly man, and is sympathetic to Cates, finding it “queer havin’ a school teacher in our jail,” and reminisces about past prisoners. He allows Rachel to visit Cates and have privacy during their visit. He announces the convening and recessing of court. When Brady collapses at the end of the trial, Meeker takes charge, pushing back a fanatic woman and getting Brady moved to the doctor’s across the street. He tells Cates that Hornbeck has put up bail.

Mr. Bannister: A Hillsboro townsperson, he wants to know where all the reporters and other trial spectators will sleep. As a prospective juror, he testifies that he has never read the Bible or Darwin, because he can’t read. Because of that, Drummond accepts him and he becomes a juror.

Elijah: A holy man from the hills, he is ignorant and humorless—and sells Bibles. When Hornbeck says he has read his stuff, referring to the Biblical prophet Elijah, this Elijah simply says he doesn’t read.

Harry Y. Esterbrook: The radio man who makes the first big broadcast of a public event from the courthouse when the verdict comes in. He has a direct line to WGN in Chicago and represents a venue that has the whole world listening. He attempts to get Brady’s speech recorded but the older man’s oratory is not right for the radio. Esterbrook announces a music program and leaves with his equipment in the middle of Brady’s speech, precipitating his final collapse.

Women OR Men:
Goodfellow: The Hillsboro storekeeper, s/he speaks with Mrs. Krebs and Reverend Brown as s/he opens his/her store the morning of Brady’s arrival, listening to their hard-line religious beliefs. S/he is very excited about the business the trial will bring to the town. Later, s/he tells Hornbeck s/he doesn’t have any opinions because they’re bad for business.
Bollinger: A Hillsboro person of middle age who rushes onto the scene in the town square, announcing that the stationmaster says that Brady’s train is on its way.

Platt: Another of the Hillsboro townspeople who is very excited about Brady’s arrival.

Timmy/Tammy: A boy/girl who rushes onto the scene to announce that he/she has seen smoke and Brady’s train is coming down the track.

Hot Dog Seller: A vendor whose hawking intermingles with the cries of Elijah selling Bibles. Faced with the choice between a hot dog and Bible, Hornbeck choose to feed his stomach rather than his soul.

Reuters Reporter: A reporter from London who asks Brady about his personal opinion of Drummond during an impromptu press conference, leading Brady to say he would fight against his own brother if he challenged the faith of millions.

• Many of the roles can be doubled or tripled. Much of the play’s impact derives from the sheer number of actors on stage, however, so doubling will be avoided if at all possible.

• Please read the play before auditioning. Scripts are available for 24-hour perusal at the Williams Center for the Arts main office, room 132.

• Wear comfortable clothing to audition—NO flip-flops or baseball caps!

• Please arrive at auditions early or on time, and plan to stay for two to three hours.

• We typically rehearse in early evening, Sunday through Thursday; we schedule around night classes until dress/technical rehearsals

• Dress and technical rehearsals begin one week before opening and are typically longer rehearsals; we seldom work past 11:00 p.m.

Questions or more information: Michael O’Neill, ext. 5326, oneillm@lafayette.edu

Lafayette College Theater
• Our auditions are always open to all students, regardless of major or theater experience. We are committed to color-blind casting.

• Academic credit is available for major roles (and stage management) through independent study; ask the production’s director.

• Interested in scenic design, lighting, props, etc.? Contact technical director Jeremy Webb at ext. 5010 or webbj@lafayette.edu.

Production schedules for Inherit the Wind and Little Women will not conflict; students may audition for (and perhaps perform in!) both shows.

Open Auditions
Tuesday, September 8*, 7:00 p.m.
Williams Center for the Arts Black Box
*Please contact Prof. Lodge ASAP if you want to audition and are unavailable at this time.

• Casting 4 men, 6 women
Meg March/Clarissa: the oldest “and most beautiful” March sister; soprano

Jo March: the second oldest sister, a writer and a tomboy; alto w/belt

Beth March/Rodrigo 2: the second youngest March sister, angelic, frail; soprano

Amy March/Troll: the youngest March sister, bratty and spirited; soprano w/belt

Marmee/Hag: the March daughters’ mother, grounded and reserved; rich alto w/belt

Aunt March/Mrs. Kirk: the girls’ wealthy and opinionated aunt, a “lioness”; deep alto

Professor Bhaer: a reserved German scholar; baritone/tenor

Laurie Laurence/Rodrigo: the girls’ spirited and athletic neighbor, Jo’s best friend; tenor

Mr. Laurence/Knight: Laurie’s dour father; baritone

John Brooke/Braxton: Laurie’s tutor and Meg’s eventual husband; baritone

AUDITIONS TBA
For more information: Michael O'Neill, ext. 5326

AUDITIONS TBA
For more information: Liz Witmer or Michael O'Neill, ext. 5326

AUDITIONS TBA

For more information: Michael O'Neill, ext. 5326

AUDITIONS TBA
For more information: Mary Jo Lodge, ext. 5662

• Lafayette College Theater auditions are always open to all students. We are committed to color-blind casting.
• Academic credit is available for major roles (and stage management) through independent study; ask the production’s director.
• Interested in scenic design, lighting, props, etc.? Contact our technical director, Jeremy Webb, at ext. 5967 or webbj@lafayette.edu.