CAPE MAY – A war torn mansion in Richmond, Virginia in the last days of the Civil War; a pair of now-freed slaves; their former master, a returned Confederate soldier; some long-hidden secrets and a shocking climax: those are the ingredients that come together in “The Whipping Man,” the drama that opens Cape May Stage’s 2016 season on May 26 and runs through June 24.
Acclaimed actor and director Gregg Daniel, who has appeared in more than one hundred movies and television shows, will direct the award-winning “The Whipping Man” by Matthew Lopez. Daniel is well acquainted with Cape May Stage. In 2014, he directed “The Mountaintop,” and performed in “Master Harold… and the boys” in 2009. He says that he fell in love with “The Whipping Man” the first time he read it, and he’s looking forward to staging it in Cape May, where history is part of the town’s fabric. “It’s one of those plays about American life and American history that audiences just want to see,” he said.
Three talented actors will bring Matthew Lopez’s award-winning drama to life. Playing Simon is Jesse N. Holmes, an actor and director who’s performed “Dance Card” at New York’s La MaMa Theatre among many other stage and television roles, including HBO’s “Veep.” Anthony Simone, whose numerous stage roles include productions of Shakespeare’s “Comedy of Errors,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Measure for Measure,” will play the role of John. Rounding out the cast is Justin Pietropaolo who will reprise the role of Caleb DeLeon, which he first performed at the Shadowland Theatre in Ellenville, New York, where he also starred in “Shipwrecked!,” “Moon Over Buffalo” and “Greetings!”
“The Whipping Man” runs from May 26 through June 24, with a half-price preview on Wednesday, May 25. There will be a post-show discussion with cast and crew on Thursday, June 16, and a half-price senior matinee on Sunday, June 12. Opening night tickets – which include an after-party with the cast – are $53. There will also be a special performance of “The Whipping Man” in conjunction with Cape May Forum on Thursday, June 16, including dinner at Fresco’s and a post-show talkback, all-inclusive at $60. Tickets are available through www.capemaystage.org or by calling (609) 770-8311.