INHERIT THE WIND Comes to the Edge Of The Wood Theatre

The Resident Theatre at Edge of the Wood, Chicago, IL, will present Inherit the Wind, the classic American play based on the historic Scopes "Monkey Trail" of 1925, for 11 performances from November 7-23.

Directed by Resident Artist Chris Toft, the award-winning Resident Theatre mounts a riveting new production that immerses the audience in the action of the trial. Inherit the Wind tells the story of Bert Cates, a schoolteacher brought up on charges for teaching Darwin's theory of evolution and what happens when two legal titans descend upon a small town to try his case.

"Inherit the Wind is an exceptionally well-made play that brings essential American characters to life and helps us understand their motivations amidst the outside forces acting on a small town that is unprepared for national attention," says Toft. "The inexorable natural forces of evolution often take centuries to perceive, but the play concentrates their effects and lets us see how some people and ideas can adapt and others have painful realizations about how they are being left behind."

The 20-member cast features Resident Artist R. Scott Purdy as Matthew Harrison Brady and Jeff-nominated actor James Turano as Henry Drummond. The ensemble also includes Jeff-nominated actor Jeff Broitman (Hornbeck), Resident Artists Christa Ciesil (Rachel) and Bill Chamberlain (Reverend Brown), and Mark Yacullo (Cates). Sets are by Natasza Naczas, Costumes by Katherin "KAT" Poon, and Lighting by Finley Wedge.