2015-16 SEASON

Based on the famous Scopes “Monkey” Trial of 1925, this stirring play follows the story of Tennessee school teacher Bertram Cates who is arrested for teaching his students Darwin's theory of evolution. The case ignites a fierce debate in the Hillsboro Courthouse where two great legal giants are locked in mortal combat, bringing national attention to a small town.  To add to the complication, the defendant’s girlfriend, Rachel, is also the daughter of the town preacher, causing everyone to choose sides as the case approaches its exciting conclusion. Jerome Lawrence explained of his fictionalized account that “the drama’s purpose was to criticize the then-current state of McCarthyism and also to defend intellectual freedom. It’s not about science versus religion. It’s about the right to think.”  This intense drama of one of the most explosive trials in American history remains as relevant today as it ever was.