Secret Tribunals—Coercion—Torture—Missing Weapons of Mass Destruction
The Time is 1822; the Place is Charleston, South Carolina. Denmark Vesey: Insurrection brings to life the dramatic story of Denmark Vesey, a free black man, who along with 34 others, was executed in the summer of 1822 for allegedly plotting a massive slave uprising in Charleston. But was Denmark Vesey’s fate sealed by insurrection or injustice? Even at the time, troubling questions were raised about the very nature of the secret tribunals convened to try Vesey and his co-defendants. Set on the eve of Vesey’s execution, Denmark Vesey: Insurrection ponders the lingering and unanswered questions of this controversial case, a case that remains relevant even to the present day. From Charleston Stage playwright Julian Wiles, the creator of the acclaimed Seat of Justice, comes this new world premiere at the American Theater at 446 King Street, Downtown Charleston. The show will play from May 26 to June 16, 2007.
Clay Middleton, a Charleston Stage veteran of The Seat of Justice, To Kill a Mockingbird, and many other plays stars in the title role with Jimmy Hager as Capt. Vesey. Hager has appeared on screen in One Tree Hill, Surface, and Walker and national commercials, as well as in Charleston Stage productions Ominium Gatherum, The Seat of Justice, and as Atticus Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird.
"We tend to think that we settle things in history, but the very same issues confronted people in Charleston in 1822 as what we as a nation are facing in 2007," says Wiles. "How do you deal with an extraordinary threat? How far do you go? What is the rule of law and how do you find out if people are really guilty or innocent?"
Denmark Vesey: Insurrection may very well turn heads, raise eyebrows, and open eyes.
Tickets available through the Piccolo Spoleto Box Office:
In Person:
Gaillard Auditorium
77 Calhoun St.
Charleston, SC 29401
Box Office Hours of Operation:
Monday - Friday 10a - 6p
Ticketmaster By Phone:
(843) 554-6060
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