THE NIGHT THOREAU SPENT IN JAIL Comes to Throughline Theatre, Now thru 6/15

Teacher, writer, and philosopher Henry David Thoreau looks back on his life and the chain of events that lead to his incarceration for refusing to pay a tax that will fund the Mexican-American War, a war he believes to be unjust.

As Thoreau reflects on all of his past relationships with his family, his love, and his friend and mentor Ralph Waldo Emerson, the play shifts fluidly through time and space, culminating in a feverish, nightmarish vision of the war that he sacrifices his freedom to oppose.

The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail is the first production in Throughline Theatre's fourth season, their second season at The Grey Box Theatre in Lawrenceville, following a wildly successful 2012 season. Pittsburgh City Paper called Throughline's 2012 production of August: Osage County "spellbinding."

Throughline Theatre Company's four-show season focuses on the relationship between past, present, and future by presenting plays from varied time periods and arranging them to highlight their thematic and stylistic similarities.

The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail opens tonight, June 7, at 8pm and runs until Saturday, June 15. The opening night performance will be followed by a reception where food and drinks will be provided and audience members can meet the cast. Thursday and Friday performances start at 8pm, Saturdays at 2pm and 8pm. Tickets are $15 or $12 for students and seniors. Tickets for the Opening Night Reception are an additional $10. Tickets are available at the door or in advance online at throughline.showclix.com.