The Rivalry

Playwright Norman Corwin's riveting recreation of the Lincoln-Douglas debates over slavery and the American concept of freedom.  A collaboration with the Renaissance, Children's Theatre Foundation, OSU Mansfield, the Mansfield City Schools and the Kennedy Center Partners in Education Program.

This production of The Rivalry features Robert Parsons, who starred in the acclaimed production of The Rivalry at Ford's Theatre in Washington last year and who will recreate the role of Abraham Lincoln.  He has been seen in the films Black August and Almost Famous and on television in Nash Bridges.  Parsons' stage appearances include roles around the globe - from New York to Sydney.  Stephen Douglas will be played by the fine television and film actor Josh Clark who has a long list of roles in Heroes, Star Trek: Voyager, Pretty Little Liars, and All My Children.  His films include Big, Ragtime, Little Nikita and others.  

Over one hundred and fifty years ago, Americans struggled with issues of slavery, race, freedom, equality, states' rights, and America's future.  In the 1858 Illinois Senate race, as the country steamrolled towards an enormous and costly civil war, Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas embarked on a series of debates. Their epic clash of ideas and oratory forged a future President and a nation.  Without access to television, bloggers, and podcasts, the debates were witnessed live by thousands along with written reports transported by railroad and telegraph across the country.  A local race quickly became the focus of a divided country, whose future was on the line. 

The Renaissance also invites the public to attend a panel discussion "THE DEBATE: THEN AND NOW" on Tuesday, January 24th at Mansfield Senior High School. Leaders from the area will for this event to tackle the most difficult challenges of our  society from yesterday to today. Panelists will include Pastor Aaren Williams, Sr., Mansfield native and historian Loretta Hilliard, OSU History Department Faculty member Dr. Dan Amsterdam and Attorney Roeliff Harper will delve into topics that deal with race, social and economic inequities, and the role of the federal government in the lives of its citizens. These issues will be addressed from the historical perspective relative to the Lincoln vs. Douglas debates. The first 100 people to attend will receive a free ticket to LA Theatreworks production of The Rivalry at the Renaissance Theatre on Saturday, February 4^th. The Mansfield Senior High School Culinary Department will provide light refreshments in the cafeteria at the High School at 5:30 pm. The panel discussion will begin in the auditorium at 6:00 pm.  The event is free of charge and open to the public.  "THE DEBATE: THEN AND NOW" is presented as part of Black History Month at The Ohio State University Mansfield campus, North Central State College, and the Ashland University College of Nursing. This event is presented in partnership with the Renaissance Theatre, Mansfield City Schools, and the Children's Theatre Foundation.

The Rivalry, Norman Corwin's riveting depiction of the Lincoln-Douglas debates, uses dialogue from the original debate transcripts to bring to life the fierce competition between the future President and the incumbent Senator as they tackled the day's most controversial issues - slavery and the American concept of freedom. The play eloquently reminds us of a time when substantive political debate engaged Americans in a way that screeching talking heads and the blogosphere cannot and underscores the impact of words and their effective communication in shaping public policy.

THE DEBATE: THEN AND NOW is generously sponsored by the Richland Community Development Group. Other events around the presentation of the Rivalry include performances for schools on February 3^rd as part of the Children's Theatre Foundation line-up, an acting workshop with the play's artists on February 3^rd, and a "talkback" conversation with the actors following the performance on February 4^th.

This presentation is supported by the Performing Arts Fund, a program of Arts Midwest, funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional contributions from the Ohio Arts Council, General Mills Foundation and Land O'Lakes Foundation.

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