The Whipping Man
February 4 - 26, 2017
by Matthew Lopez
Directed by Sally Wingert
It’s April 1865 and the Civil War is over. Caleb DeLeon, a young Jewish Confederate soldier, returns home wounded to devastation and former slaves, Simon and John. As Simon, brought into the Jewish faith by the DeLeon family, prepares a Passover seder, the three men help each other navigate their newfound understandings of family, power and freedom until the secrets that still bind them start to unravel. Winner of the 2011 Outer Critics Circle Award, The Whipping Man will have Sally Wingert (seen at MJTC in Tale of the Allergist’s Wife, Rose, Women Before a Glass, Family Secrets, and 2.5 Minute Ride) at the helm in her directorial debut.
Individual Producers: Steve & Gail Machov and Honey & Larry Zelle.
Producer's Circle: Martha Hauser Baxter, Jim & Nancy Proman and Ann Wynia
Individual tickets are now on sale.
Order online at: http://bpt.me/2568633.
For group sales, call the box office at 651-647-4315.
Read the Reviews!
Meet the Cast
Warren C. Bowles (Simon) directed DAI (enough), The Tale of the Allergist's Wife, Jericho and Photograph 51 at MJTC. He has more than 40 years of experience as an actor, director, fight choreographer, and playwright at Mixed Blood Theatre, Park Square Theatre, Guthrie Theater, San Diego Public Theatre, Theatre L’Homme Dieu, Interact, and others. In 2016 he received an Ivey Award in recognition of directing The Tale of the Allergist's Wife and in 2005, received a McKnight Fellowship for Theater Artists.
JuCoby Johnson (John) appears for the first time at MJTC. In the Twin Cities, he has performed at Ten Thousand Things (Pericles, Dear World), Underdog Theater (Baltimore is Burning), Mu Performing Arts (You for Me for You), and Park Square Theatre (The Liar). Upcoming projects include Theater Latté Da's Six Degrees of Separation and Walking Shadow's Red Velvet. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota / Guthrie B.F.A. Actor Training Program.
Riley O’Toole (Caleb DeLeon) appears for the first time at MJTC. In the Twin Cities, he has performed at the Guthrie Theater (The Lion in Winter, Juno and the Paycock). Nationally, he has performed with Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Arizona Theatre Company, and others. Upcoming projects include Hand to God at Salt Lake Acting Company and a return to Montana for Macbeth and You Never Can Tell. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota / Guthrie B.F.A. Actor Training Program.
Meet the Production Team
Sally Wingert (Director) previously appeared at MJTC in Family Secrets, Woman Before a Glass, 2.5 Minute Ride, and Rose. Other credits include Guthrie Theater, where she has appeared in more than 80 productions since 1985, Theater Latté Da, Mixed Blood Theatre, Ten Thousand Things, Park Square Theatre, The Playwrights’ Center, Dark and Stormy Productions, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, The O'Neill, Yale Repertory Theatre, McCarter Theatre, and American Repertory Theater. She was awarded a 2014 McKnight Fellowship for Theater Artists. This is Sally's directing debut. She is so grateful to Barbara Brooks for the opportunity.
Michael Hoover (Scenic Design) returns to MJTC to design the 2016-2017 season, having designed several previous productions. Michael designs sets locally, including Juno and the Paycock (co-designer) and Choir Boy at Guthrie Theater. Other stage design credits include Park Square Theatre, History Theatre, Theater Latté Da, and Torch Theater. In addition to his freelance career as a scenic designer, Michael is on staff as the Lead Scenic Artist at Guthrie Theater.
Andrea Gross (Costume Design) is pleased to make her debut with Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company with this production. She is a free-lance designer in the Twin Cities with credits at the Ordway, the Jungle, Park Square Theatre, Mu Performing Arts, nimbus theatre, and Walking Shadow Theater Company.
Paul Epton (Lighting Design) discovered theater lighting at Carleton College and was an award-winning designer in Detroit. Now living in the Twin Cities, he designs regularly for MJTC (over 60 shows, including Stars of David, My Name is Asher Lev, The Triangle Factory Fire Project, Old Wicked Songs), Mixed Blood Theatre (In the Time of the Butterflies, Ruined), and Off-Leash Area (Maggie’s Brain, Psst!), among others. His design for Corazón Eterno (Always In My Heart) can currently be seen at Mixed Blood.
Anita Kelling (Sound Design) graduated from the University of MN in 2010 with a B.A. in Theatre Arts. Previous MJTC designs include Aunt Raini, DAI (enough), The Chanukah Guest and Becoming Dr. Ruth, among others. Around town, she has designed productions for Park Square Theatre, Walking Shadow Theatre Company, Yellow Tree Theatre, 20% Theatre Company, COLLIDE Theatrical Dance, Theatre Unbound, Freshwater Theatre, Theatre in the Round, Chameleon Theatre Circle, and the Sabes JCC Theater.
Rick Polenek (Properties Design) returns to MJTC having previously designed Mizlansky/Zilinsky. Rick has been active in the Twin Cities’ theatre and design communities for over 40 years as a scenic designer, exhibition designer and commercial art director. Recent projects include Glensheen (Ivey Award: Overall Excellence) and Teen Idol: the Bobby Vee Story, both for History Theatre. Upcoming projects include Might As Well Be Dead at Park Square Theatre. Rick is currently on the technical theater faculty at Normandale College.
Paran Kashani (Makeup Design) is delighted to make her debut with Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company. She is a local actor, director, and makeup artist. Paran’s recent credits include George with the Bedlam Theatre and The Jungle Book with Old Log Theatre. In 2016 she was the recipient of the KCACTF 1st Place National Allied Crafts in recognition of her makeup design for Normandale Community College’s production of The Gravedigger. Paran is grateful to Barbara Brooks and Sally Wingert for the opportunity to work on The Whipping Man
Jorge Rodriguez (Stage Manager) is an emerging theater artist in the Twin Cities. He is a recent graduate of Augsburg College where he received his B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Theater. He has worked in various theaters including Mixed Blood Theatre and Park Square Theatre. He is happy to be working with Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company.
