JCC Suncoast to present dramatic readings from Passover-themed play before Tampa premiere

A showcase offering dramatic readings of selected excerpts from an award-winning Passover-themed play, The Whipping Man, will be offered on Sunday, Jan. 22 at 2:30 p.m.

The JCC Suncoast will host the Gorilla Theatre at Suncoast’s St. Petersburg location, 5023 Central Ave., for the reading of the play, written Matthew Lopez, 33, a University of South Florida graduate. The event is free and refreshments will be served.

The play, well-received last year in New York and Los Angeles, takes place during Passover in 1865, days after the end of the Civil War. An injured Jewish Confederate soldier returns from the war to his damaged home in Richmond, VA, to find two of his former slaves still living there.

The soldier has lost his faith during the war, but the former slaves in his home were raised Jewish and are anxious to participate in Passover, finding parallels in the story of the Israelis freed from slavery and their own liberation. The wise elder slave, a man of great faith, leads the Passover Seder as the three men explore the concepts of freedom and equality.

The staged reading at JCC is a preview of the play, which will be presented by the Gorilla Theatre from March 15 through April 1, at the Springs Theater, 8029 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa. The play will be directed by James Rayfield, who is also the artistic director of the Gorilla Theatre’s Young Dramatists’ Project.

Francine Wolf, local Jewish actress, producer, and board member of Gorilla Theatre, encourages members of the Jewish community to attend the reading and, if interested, to become a sponsor (patron) of the production. All patronage includes recognition in the program and curtain speech, and “Matzo Box Seats.”

Reservations for the free showcase reading can be made by calling the JCC Suncoast at (727) 321- 6100.

Tickets for the performances at the Springs Theater range from $20 to $25, with $5 discounts for seniors and students. For further information, call the Gorilla Theatre at (813) 765-1486 or see the Gorilla Theatre website at www.gorillatheatre.com.