Scopes 'Monkey Trial' to be re-enacted at Kane courthouse
On Saturday, Oct. 18, the famous courtroom drama "Inherit the Wind" will be on stage in the ultimate venue for the show, the historic Kane County Courthouse.
In honor of the Kane County Bar Association's 150th anniversary, the organization has combined efforts with the new Geneva theater group, the Geneva Underground Playhouse to produce the show for two performances on one day only.
The play is a fictionalized account of the 1925 Scopes "Monkey" Trial, which resulted in John T. Scopes' conviction for teaching Charles Darwin's theory of evolution to a high school science class, contrary to a Tennessee state law that prohibited the teaching of anything besides creationism.
The two performances of the show will be held in the historic Kane County Courthouse on Third Street in Geneva. There will be a 2 p.m. matinee, and an evening performance at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the performances are $20.
The bar association works to promote the administration of justice and to assist in the delivery of legal services to the public. A free website provides an opportunity for people to search for an attorney, volunteer attorneys staff a free monthly "Ask a Lawyer" phone-in service, and free state-accredited seminars are offered as well. The Kane County Bar Foundation, the charitable sister organization of the KCBA, supports legal service to the public, funds grants for legal-related non-profit organizations, hosts mock trials for area high school students, and provides scholarships to Kane County law school students. Kane County Bar Association board president David Camic noted "This production would not have been possible without the strong support of the 16th Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Donald C. Hudson and Kane County Board Chair Karen McConnaughay."
Geneva Underground Playhouse has recently acquired a special use permit through the city of Geneva for their upcoming location at 524 State St. in downtown Geneva. Formerly First Street Playhouse in Batavia, the non-profit organization, looks forward to reopening in the community of Geneva. The collaboration with KCBA has been a wonderful opportunity for the theater group to announce their arrival in the area. "Our partnership with the association has been fantastic," said Eric Schwartz, executive director of Geneva Underground Playhouse. "It's allowed the theater to jump right into the community, even before our theater opens. Plus it's giving us the chance to perform in that beautiful building."
For information, and to reserve tickets for "Inherit the Wind", visit kanecountybar.org or call (630) 762-1915