Mark Hairston, Alexander Strain, David Emerson Toney Set for Theater J’s The Whipping Man
As Caleb DeLeon limps back to the remains of his father’s plantation just hours after General Robert E. Lee’s surrender at the Appomattox, he is welcomed by Simon, the former slave who raised him. Soon after, John, a former slave the same age as Caleb, bursts into the house with a load of items looted from neighboring plantations. Though Caleb claims that he lost his faith in the war, Simon and John (who were raised Jewish by their master) are eager to hold a seder commemorating their new freedom. As they observe the rites of Passover, the three men try to come to terms with the death of President Lincoln, the birth of a new United States of America, and the seismic shifts rocking the foundation of their nation and their lives.
The Whipping Man will feature performances by Mark Hairston (John), Alexander Strain (Caleb DeLeon) and David Emerson Toney (Simon).
The design team includes set designer Dan Conway, lighting designer Daniel M. Wagner, costume designer Ivania Stack and properties designer Samina Vieth.
