Raleigh Little Theatre Presents THE WHIPPING MAN

Raleigh Little Theatre presents "The Whipping Man," a Civil War drama by Matthew Lopez. The production is directed by Patrick Torres, artistic director, and is the first he has directed in the Gaddy-Goodwin Theatre, RLT's 150 seat black box performance space.

The play is set the day after the end of the Civil War. Throughout the South, slaves are being freed and soldiers are returning home. In one home, the annual celebration of Passover is celebrated by a young Confederate officer, who has been severely wounded, and two former slaves. However, the pain of enslavement will not be soothed by this tradition. Deeply buried secrets from the past refuse to be hidden forever, as the play comes to its thrilling conclusion. The production stars Phillip Bernard Smith as Simon, Ryan Ladue as Caleb, and Chris Helton as John.

"The premise of this play is deeply engaging. The playwright, Matthew Lopez, imagines what the experience of celebrating Passover must have been like for the rare, but historical, Jewish Slaves who were freed after the Civil War. And through his examination of these lives on stage, we are all left to wrestle with the notion of freedom and how we grant or deny it to others - questions that remain today," said Torres.

For the first time, RLT is producing a series of podcasts to give audiences a deeper look in to the world of the play. The first one, available now on RLT's website, features Torres and Akiva Fox, dramaturg.

On January 4, RLT will hold a panel discussion at the Mordecai Historic Park in Raleigh. The panelists will discuss the themes of the play and the history of the Jewish faith in the American South at the time of the Civil War, a history rarely heard, that parallels that of the Mordecai family in certain ways. Scenes from the play will be presented in support the discussion. The event is free and begins at 6:30pm.

"The Whipping Man" is supported by the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County, as well as the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Triangle Tribune is the media sponsor. The production runs January 13 - 29 in the Gaddy-Goodwin Teaching Theatre. Tickets for all events at RLT can be purchased by calling the box office (919)-821-3111, Monday through Friday, noon to 5:00 p.m., or by visiting the theatre's website at www.raleighlittletheatre.org.

About Raleigh Little Theatre:

Founded in 1936, Raleigh Little Theatre (RLT) is one of the oldest, continuously operating, community theatres in the United States. RLT offers entertainment, education, and community programs year-round, reaching 40,000 people. As a community theatre, RLT engages hundreds of volunteers, under the guidance of professional staff, to achieve its mission and to bring quality live theatre to the Triangle area. Visit www.raleighlittletheatre.org for more information. Raleigh Little Theatre is located at 301 Pogue St., Raleigh, N.C. 27607, adjacent to the Raleigh Rose Garden

Follow Raleigh Little Theatre on Twitter @RLT1936 or twitter.com/RLT1936, on Facebook at facebook.com/RaleighLittleTheatreand on Instagram at instagram.com/raleigh_little_theatre/.

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