The Resident Ensemble Players to Present John Ball's IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT in November

The Resident Ensemble Players will deliver suspense and intrigue with John Ball's IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT - performing Nov. 2 through Nov. 19, at the Roselle Center for the Arts. Adapted for the stage by Matt Pelfrey from the book that inspired the Oscar-winning film, IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT is sure to be a compelling evening of theatre, filled with murder and mystery.

Set in 1962 - a white man is discovered dead in a small town of Alabama. Local police arrest the only stranger in town, a black man named Virgil Tibbs. Little do they know that their suspect is an expert homicide detective from California. Left with no witnesses, no motives, and no clues, Detective Tibbs becomes this racially tense community's only hope of solving the brutal murder.

While this story hits all the check boxes for an entertaining detective story, it's also a compelling social commentary. John Ball's IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT perfectly captures the anger and open hostility of racial tensions in the 1960's. Something that is uncomfortably relevant today.

"We are at a moment in our country, with our art, politics, and even our interactions, where we operate in extremes: extreme rage, patriotism, protesting, etc." says Director Cameron Knight. "For many, it makes any conversation of our history; our journey to this moment and how we deal with each other a delicate subject and often avoided. I believe we must be able to go towards difficult, uncomfortable conversations and at times, actions, in order to grow positively. We are fractured as a society and if we don't begin to confront our past and the needs of our future, we are on a path towards despair."

The Resident Ensemble Players production of John Ball's IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT will run from Nov. 2 through Nov. 19, at the Roselle Center for the Arts in Newark, DE. Tickets can be purchased at the box office, online at www.rep.udel.edu, or by phone at (302) 831-2204.

The cast includes REP company members Hassan El-Amin* (Virgil Tibbs); Lee E. Ernst* (Chief Gillespie); Michael Gotch* (Sam Wood); Elizabeth Heflin* (Mayor Francine Schubert); Mic Matarrese* (Pete, Man in Shadows); Stephen Pelinski* (Harvey Oberst, Purdy); Kathleen Pirkl Tague* (Coroner); Steve Tague* (Charles Tatum, Endicott, Al Jennings); and guest actors Lenny Banovez* (Eric Kaufman, Ralph); Erin Partin* (Melanie Tatum); and Tess Riley* (Noreen Purdy). *Member of Actors' Equity Association.

The creative team includes Cameron Knight (Director); Britton Mauk (Scenic Designer); Sarah Smith (Costume Designer); Dawn Chiang (Lighting Designer); Lindsay Jones (Sound Designer); Patrick Lord (Projection Designer); Denise O'Brien (Wig and Hair Designer); and Lee E. Ernst (Fight Choreographer).

TICKET INFORMATION AND PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Performances begin Thursday, November 2, and run through Sunday, November 19, in the Thompson Theatre at the Roselle Center for the Arts on the University of Delaware's Newark campus. Opening night is Saturday, November 4.

Tickets prices range from $30 - $39; discounts are available for students, seniors, and University of Delaware faculty and staff. Tickets can be purchased online at www.rep.udel.edu, by contacting the REP box office at 302-831-2204, or visiting in person at 110 Orchard Rd. Newark, DE., Tuesday - Friday, noon to 5:00 PM.

The Thompson Theatre in the Roselle Center for the Arts is ADA-compliant and is equipped with a hearing loop system, which works with hearing aid t-coils, cochlear implants, and in-house hearing devices. Wheelchair and other seating requests can be made prior to the performance by calling (302) 831-2204 or emailing cfa-boxoffice@udel.edu.

REP productions are made possible, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency dedicated to nurturing and supporting the arts in Delaware, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.

ABOUT THE REP

The Resident Ensemble Players (REP) is a professional theatre company in residence on the campus of the University of Delaware. The REP's mission is to engage audiences throughout the tri-state region and beyond with frequent productions of outstanding classic, modern, and contemporary plays performed in a wide variety of styles that celebrate and demonstrate the range and breadth of an ensemble of nationally respected stage actors.

The REP is committed to creating and expanding audiences for live theatre by offering a diversity of productions at low prices that enable and encourage the attendance of everyone in the region, regardless of background or income.

The REP performs in the Roselle Center for the Arts, 110 Orchard Road, Newark, Delaware on the main campus of the University of Delaware.

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