The Whipping Man at Theater J

The Whipping Man

Theater J
1529 Sixteenth Street, NW Washington

1865; Richmond, Virginia: Two newly-freed slaves and the son of their former master—a Jewish Confederate soldier who has retreated to the burnt remains of his home—inhabit the disordered aftermath of the just-concluded War between the States. As the three men celebrate a most unconventional Passover Seder, they uncover a snarl of secrets and examine what it really means to be free.

Thru - May 20, 2012

Price: $45 - $60

Show Type: Drama

Running Time: 2 hours 15 mins with 1 intermission

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The Whipping Man Reviews

Average Rating based on 7 reviews

Highly Recommended
Recommended
Somewhat Recommended
Not Recommended

Washington Post - Recommended

"...Secret by secret, Lopez doles out the information his characters conceal, a process that gives “The Whipping Man” its noticeable by-the-book feel. It also keeps you curious about what comes next, and like the turning point in history it presents, that’s of no small consequence."

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- Peter Marks

DC Theater Arts - Highly Recommended

"...The Whipping Man is theatre at its best. With performances that will move you, make you laugh, shudder and cry, do not pass over the opportunity to see this monumental work given a first-rate production by the courageous Theater J."

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- Joel Markowitz

Washington Examiner - Highly Recommended

"...With tour de force acting and scenes plucked from our nation's biography, "The Whipping Man" is a dark and uncompromising exploration of the choices we make and how they may affect the lives of those around us. In its own ripe subtext, it represents the very best and worst of the human spirit."

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- Jolene Munch Cardoza

Washington City Paper - Somewhat Recommended

"...Unfortunately, The Whipping Man is much more fascinating as premise than final product. Which is not to say this production isn’t worth seeing—only that Lopez has taken an extraordinary set of given circumstances, then set in motion something of a hum-drum Civil War story. If you’ve heard of Sally Hemmings, The Whipping Man’s big revelations won’t come as much of a shock."

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- Rebecca J. Ritzel

Washington Jewish Week - Recommended

"... It comes as little surprise that Theater J has selected this production for its unjaundiced glimpse into a little-known era of American Jewish history. Interestingly, a sister production of the play runs concurrently up Route 95 at Baltimore's Center Stage, and since its New York debut last year, it has garnered acclaim and nearly a dozen productions at theaters around the country. Undoubtedly, many companies find the tie-in to the 150th anniversary of the Civil War a saleable reason to produce the work, but clearly the unusual slant The Whipping Man takes in exploring issues of slavery, freedom and inheritance - familial and religious -prove even more compelling. At Theater J at the Washington, DC Jewish Community Center, where the production runs through May 20, director Jennifer Nelson's muscular approach is just right for Lopez's earthy and unrelenting drama."

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- Lisa Traiger

MD Theatre Guide - Highly Recommended

"... Director Jennifer L. Nelson never over directs the piece, balancing between the quieter and bigger moments nicely. She knows the high caliber of her actors and lets them play the material honestly."

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- Elliot Lanes

DCTheatreScene - Highly Recommended

There’s a reason why The Whipping Man is becoming one of the most produced plays around — its premise of a Passover Seder among newly freed slaves raised as Jews is mind-blowing, and with the right casting and directing, the play spins old concepts in stunningly creative new ways. The production at Theater J hits all the marks and then some.

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- Debbie Jackson

The Whipping Man at Theater J

The Whipping Man

The Whipping Man Reviews

Washington Post - Recommended

DC Theater Arts - Highly Recommended

Washington Examiner - Highly Recommended

Washington City Paper - Somewhat Recommended

Washington Jewish Week - Recommended

MD Theatre Guide - Highly Recommended

DCTheatreScene - Highly Recommended

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