The Trial of the Catonsville Nine has extended for one week, through March 28, at The Actors' Gang in Culver City.
On May 17th, 1968, two Catholic priests and seven Catholic activists, including a nurse, a nun, an artist and four others, walked into the selective service office Local Board 33, located in Catonsville, Maryland, grabbed hundreds of 1-A draft files and burned them with homemade napalm in protest against U.S. involvement in Vietnam. The publicity and news coverage from the ensuing trial was instrumental in galvanizing the American anti-war movement. Written by Jesuit priest, teacher, poet and activist Father Daniel Berrigan, The Trial of the Catonsville Nine is a free-verse dramatization based on the actual records of the trial in which he and eight others were convicted.
"The actions of the Nine are a reminder that silence is collusion," says military veteran and peace activist April Fitzsimmons. "We need to continue to speak out if we want to effect change." Fitzsimmons invites the public to join her in organized Protests for Peace on the corner of Venice and Culver Blvds beginning one hour prior to each performance (7 pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and 1 pm on Sundays).
After Catonsville, Father Berrigan spent several months underground and, after his capture, 18 months in prison. He has continued to maintain a level of activism and protests, including protests against the Gulf War, the Kosovo War, and the U.S invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, and he has continued to be arrested frequently for his protest actions. He lives at the Westside Jesuit Community in Manhattan where, at age 87, he continues to teach, write and work for peace. Father Berrigan has offered to make himself available for select interviews in support of The Actors' Gang production. For more information, contact Lucy Pollak at lucy@lucypr.com.
The Los Angeles Times' Charlotte Stoudt calls The Actors' Gang production "an impassioned revival [that] shows at once how far, and how little, we've come." In the LA Weekly, Deborah Klugman wrote, "GO! An impassioned argument for following the dictates of one's conscience." On LAist, Farley Elliott blogged, "Engrossing [and] deeply impactful... the direction and dialogue are so powerful... it is heartwarming to see that the Actors Gang can still deliver." Back Stage's Jennie Webb agreed: "A phenomenal ensemble of actors... This may be a courtroom drama, but it's about America itself."
Performances of the Trial of the Catonsville Nine continue Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through March 28. Talk Backs with the cast take place after every Sunday matinee. Reserved seating is $25.00 for all performances. General admission on Thursday evenings is Pay-What-You-Can for tickets purchased at the door. The Actors' Gang is located in the Ivy Substation at 9070 Venice Blvd. (near the intersection of Culver and Venice Blvds.) in Culver City. For reservations and information, call The Actors' Gang Box Office at 310-838-GANG (310-838-4264) or go to www.theactorsgang.com.
