Inherit the Wind: A Sold Out Opening Night

Audience members sat, some quite literally, on the edge of their seats during the riveting courtroom drama of Holmdel Theatre Company's production of "Inherit the Wind" at the Duncan Smith Theater last night. The Friday night show sold out by mid-afternoon, an opening night first, said producer Rebecca Zaccagnino.  

Based on the actual "Scopes Monkey Trial" of 1925, the play is set in the sweltering southern town of Hillsboro. Tensions mount when high school teacher Bertram Cates (Volney Stefflre) is imprisoned for teaching Darwin's theory of evolution in defiance of state law. Enter attorney Matthew Harrison Brady (Ed Schiff*) for the prosecution and defense lawyer Henry Drummond (Michael Kroll) for a clash of titanic legal minds. Offering diametrically opposed world views is the wise-cracking, cynical reporter E.K. Hornbeck (Michael Irvin Pollard*), and the thundering, rafter-shaking Rev. Jeremiah Brown (Steve Bartlow). An array of Townspeople provide touchstones in whom we may find ourselves, most poignantly in the Reverend's daughter Rachel, (Michelle Budzyna).  

"This is easily the best community theater I've seen in a long time," said Tom Hammond, a physician from Lighthouse Point, FL who'd made a special point of coming to see his nephew perform during a quick weekend trip. "It stands up against any New York production I've seen," he said, "I'm quite impressed."

By the end, audience members were on their feet in appreciation, then left to ponder the evolution of their own thinking. 

Performances are July 20, 21, 27, 28 and August 2, 3, 4 at 8:00 p.m. and matinees on July 22 and 29 at 2:00 p.m. at the Holmdel Theatre Company, 36 Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel.

For tickets, contact SMART TIX (212) 868 4444 or at the Holmdel Theatre website: www.holmdeltheatrecompany.org. Tickets are $22 for adults, $17 for seniors and $12 for students.

Written by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee
Directed by Tom Frascatore
Produced by Rebecca Zaccagnino 

THE CAST
(in order of appearance)

Melinda Krebs ............................... Ryan Murray
Howard Blair ............................... Theo Modla
Rachel Brown ............................... Michelle Budzyna
Meeker ....................................... Dave Murray
Bertram Cates ............................... Volney Stefflre
Goodfellow ............................... Jim Walsh / David Clarke
Mrs. Krebs ............................... Gina Shuster
Sillers ....................................... Patrick Dean
Rev. Jeremiah Brown ....................... Steve Bartlow
Bollinger ....................................... Russ Ortiz
Mrs. Blair ....................................... Brett Sabo
Elijah ....................................... Jim Cusick
E. K. Hornbeck ............................... Michael Irvin Pollard*
Timmy ....................................... Jon Erik Nielsen
Reporters/Photographer ................ Trevor Cahill
Matthew Harrison Brady ............... Ed Schiff*
Mrs. Brady ............................... Laurie Devino
The Mayor ............................... Dave Harris
Tom Davenport ....................... Mark S. Gumble
Henry Drummond ....................... Michael Kroll
The Judge ............................... Paul Nixon

(*denotes member of Actors' Equity Association)