Milwaukee Rep Presents THE WHIPPING MAN, Now thru 3/16

The Rep continues its 60th Anniversary Season with The Whipping Man, the play The New York Times describes as "filled with fine characterization and unexpected moments of humor." The Civil War has ended, but for some, the struggle has just begun. A Jewish Confederate soldier, wounded in war, has returned from the battlefield to find that his family has fled. The only remaining household members are two former slaves, who have been raised by his family as Jews. Over a celebratory feast, family history is uncovered and dark secrets are revealed, forcing the men to come to terms with the sordid legacies of slavery and war that threaten each of their future freedoms. Written by Matthew Lopez, The Whipping Man will be directed by Associate Artistic Director Brent Hazelton. The cast features Ro Boddie, James Craven, both making their Rep debuts, and Josh Landay, who returns to The Rep after appearing as Tateh in Ragtime earlier this season. The Whipping Man runs in the Stiemke Studio from February 5 - March 16, and opens Saturday, February 8. (Please note special Saturday evening opening.) The Stiemke Season is generously presented by John and Connie Kordsmeier.

"My first experience with The Whipping Man was to be viscerally struck by the raw power of its theatricality," says Artistic Director Mark Clements. "A harrowing story about the conclusion of the Civil War, it offers a uniquely dramatic and compelling take on the Jewish faith, the abolition of slavery and a particularly important period in American history that still evokes passionate feelings today."

Director Brent Hazelton added, "The Whipping Man is one of those rare, great stories that can be appreciated from an almost endless variety of perspectives. The History major in me is captivated by the exploration of a tumultuous, pivotal, specific moment in our national past that illuminates so much of our cultural present. The English major in me is transported by the wonderful mash-up of period and contemporary language, and the way in which it illuminates the precipice between past and future. And the Theater maker in me is swept away by three rich, compelling, fully human characters in life-changing conflict with one another, and caught up in forces so much larger than themselves."

Milwaukee Rep will host a series of special events and programs around The Whipping Man.

· Rep In Depth - get an insider's look at the production from guest actor Ro Boddie with a discussion that begins 45 minutes before every performance.

· TalkBacks - Wednesday, February 12 and 26 and Wednesday, March 5 and 12 - join members of the cast after the show for a Q&A moderated by a member of The Rep's Artistic Staff.

• Wednesday, February 19 - Panel Discussion - Jews, Blacks and the Legacy of Slavery

Co-sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Committee and the NAACP

Post-Show panel discussion in place of the TalkBack

• Thursday, February 27, 7pm - Film Screening: Jewish Soldier in Blue and Gray

Location: Jewish Community Center; 6255 N Santa Monica Blvd; Milwaukee, WI 53217
(414) 964-4444

• Sunday, March 2, 2pm - Jewish Community Day - 20% off tickets using code: REP

Special TalkBack after the matinee performance led by Judaic Education Director Jody Hirsch from the Jewish Community Center

Milwaukee Rep offers the following Access Services for The Whipping Man:

· Audio-Description Performance, Thursday, February 20, 7:30pm - the show will be Audio-Described for patrons who are blind or have low vision.

· American Sign Language, Thursday, March 6, at 7:30pm - the show will be signed for patrons who are deaf or have low hearing.

Tickets for The Whipping Man begin at $25.00. Single Tickets for all of Milwaukee Repertory Theater's 2013/14 productions are now on sale and can be purchased online 24/7 at www.MilwaukeeRep.com, through The Rep's Ticket Office by calling 414-224-9490 or in person at 108 E. Wells Street. Group tickets are also available for purchase by calling Group Sales Manager Joy Surber at 414-290-5340.

To learn more about The Rep or its productions, please visit www.MilwaukeeRep.com.

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