Black Box Theatre Presents THE WHIPPING MAN

The Black Box Performing Arts Center continues to emerge as the Tri-State area's premier destination for both cutting-edge professional theater and collaborative performing arts education as it proudly presents a new production of Matthew Lopez's The Whipping Man, starting later this week in the heart of Teaneck, NJ - just a quick ride over the George Washington Bridge.

This new production of The Whipping Man is directed (and designed) by Frank Avellino, produced by Huey Esquire, Matt Okin and Black Box Studios, and features three acclaimed professional actors: Eddie W. Coleman, Joshua Salvador, and Rommell Sermons.

The Whipping Man will play over three weekends, from Thursday, April; 6th through Sunday, April 23rd at Black Box Studios' new home, Teaneck's Black Box Performing Arts Center at 200 Walraven Drive. (just off Palisade Ave., GPS: 290 Walraven Drive), Teaneck, NJ 07666.

In The Whipping Man, it's April, 1865. The Civil War is over and throughout the south, slaves are being freed, soldiers are returning home and in Jewish homes, the annual celebration of Passover is being celebrated. Into the chaos of war-torn Richmond comes Caled DeLeon, a young Confederate officer who has been severely wounded. He finds his family's home in ruins and abandoned, save for two former slaves, Simon and John, who wait in the empty house for the family's return. As the three men hope for signs of life to return to the city, they wrestle with their shared past, the bitter irony of Jewish slave-owning and the reality of the new world in which they find themselves.

The sun sets on the night of Passover and Simon - having adopted the religion of his masters - prepares a humble Seder to observe the ancient celebration of the freeing of the Hebrew slaves from Egypt, noting with particular satisfaction the parallels to their current situation. But the pain of their enslavement will not be soothed by this tradition, and deep-buried secrets from the past refuse to stay hidden... The Whipping Man is about redemption and forgiveness, about the lasting scars of slavery, and the responsibility that comes with freedom.

The Whipping Man plays the following 12-performance schedule:

Thursday, April 6th, 8PM

Friday, April 7th, 8PM

Saturday, April 8th, 8PM

Sunday, April 9th, 2PM matinee

Thursday, April 13th, 2PM (special mid-Passover matinee)

Thursday, April 13th, 8PM

Friday, April 14th, 8PM

Saturday, April 15th, 8PM (dark for Easter & Passover on Sunday, April 16th)

Thursday, April 20th, 8PM

Friday, April 21st, 8PM

Saturday, April 22nd, 8PM

Sunday, April 23rd, 2PM matinee

Tickets are $25 ($20 for students/seniors) and are now available at www.blackboxpac.com. Excellent group rates for 10 or more are available by calling (201) 357-2221. Tickets can also be purchased at the venue; call (201) 357-2221 for box office hours.

Advisory: The Whipping Man tackles mature themes, with viewer discretion advised.

Black Box Performing Arts Center is located at 200 Walraven Drive, just off Palisade Ave., Teaneck, NJ 07666 (GPS: 290 Walraven Drive). Past productions this season include Joshua Harmon's Bad Jews, Willy Russell's Blood Brothers A Musical, Evil Dead The Musical, Edward Albee's The Goat Or, Who Is Sylvia?, the original play Twist of Faith, and Caryl Churchill's Cloud 9. The New York City area's most eclectic theatre offerings will continue at BBPAC a soon-to-be-announced brand new original musical (May), and Ayad Akhtar's Disgraced, Winner of the 2013 Pulitzer Prize (June-July): www.blackboxpac.com

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