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Photo from the Broadway play “Inherit The Wind”

New York Times “Broadway Revival Reflects U.S. Debate on Evolution” – April 15, 2007

Debuted in 1955, “Inherit The Wind” is a Broadway play that dramatizes the 1925 Scopes Trial (also known as the “monkey trial”). More than fifty years later, this play, written by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Lee, has been revived with continuing relevance. The play’s director, Doug Hughes, commented, “The idea that 50 or more years later there is more controversy about its teaching than there may have been in ’55…is amazing.” Hughes also highlighted how the evolution debate is a uniquely American issue. He said, “Fundamental belief seems to be very important to us in America. We are among the most religious countries on earth… And yet our democracy is founded on an extremely secular document, the United States Constitution, and therein lies the paradox -- how do you square those two things?” I agree that it is remarkable that the debate is more heated now than in the past. One would think that as time went on and more scientific proof of evolution was discovered that the debate would lose its steam. It would be interesting to examine the current audience composition, audience response and overall popularity of the play and compare with that of the past.

For more details about the play, click here.

The Broadway play was also adapted into a movie in 1960. Here is a clip (2:35) from the movie: