Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati’s Whipping Man
Earns Three League of Cincinnati Theatres Awards for Acting, Design
Ken Early & Jarred Baugh in ETC's THE WHIPPING MAN. Photo by Ryan Kurtz.
(CINCINNATI, FEB. 1, 2012)– Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati’s (ETC) production of Matthew Lopez’s The Whipping Man has earned three awards from the League of Cincinnati Theatres for its design and acting ensemble. The Civil War-era drama, winner of a 2011 Outer Critics Circle Award, is making its regional premiere at ETC.
Set during Passover in 1865, at the end of the war, the play is the story of a wounded Confederate soldier who returns from battle to find his Virginia family home in ruins, abandoned except for the presence of two former slaves, who were raised as Jews in the home. The play’s twists and turns find the three men grappling with their complicated history and with long-buried family secrets.
The cast for the show, described as “pitch perfect” by one LCT panelist, includes Jarred Baugh, Ken Early and Mark St. Cyr. “The production was a true ensemble piece with each actor supporting the other.”
ETC’s resident designer Brian c. Mehring earned two awards for his scenic and lighting work. According to one panelist, “I absolutely believed I was looking into the ruins of a Southern mansion during the Civil War. The set was solid and functional, and it set the mood as soon as the audience entered the theatre.”
The Whipping Man continues through Feb. 12. [Please note, extended through Feb. 18 -Rob] Details and ticket information are available at www.cincyetc.com.
The League of Cincinnati Theatres was founded in 1999 to strengthen, nurture and promote Cincinnati’s theatre community. LCT provides its member companies and individual members with education, resources and services to enhance the quality and exposure of the theatre community in Cincinnati and increase community awareness, attendance and involvement. More information about the League can be found at www.leagueofcincytheatres.info.
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