Have you heard of the Scopes Trial? You probably remember the name from back in school, but you may not have known that the whole trial was a publicity stunt to put Dayton, Tennessee on the map.
The town of Dayton (and a bunch of outsiders + the media) packed into the Rhea County Courthouse in the sweltering summer courtroom sans-air conditioning to hear an argument about the teaching of evolution in schools. All the while an entire town was buzzing around outside having a huge carnival-type block party complete with refreshments, souvenirs and performances. There was even a performing chimpanzee named Joe Mendi.
While we won’t have Joe Mendi with us this year, you can be sure to expect a great time and experience the seriousness of a court case in the luxury of an historic but air conditioned courthouse. This year’s new play will focus on the principles of creation versus evolution, majority versus minority rights, parental control of schools and so much more.
And when you’re finished immersing yourself into a piece of history, you can step outside the Rhea County Courthouse into the same festive carnival atmosphere that filled the streets back in 1925.
But don’t wait to purchase your tickets. The Courthouse is only so big and we only have a few performances, so grab your ticket while they’re still for sale. We do expect this event to sell out by early July.