If you’re an equality supporter living in northern California, you’re not going to want to miss this: on Saturday, October 20, the Crest Theatre in Sacramento will present a staged reading of “8,” the play that chronicles the Perry v. Schwarzenegger trial which led to the overturning of California’s infamous Proposition 8. The play was created by award-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black from trial transcripts and interviews with the plaintiffs and defendants, as well as prominent Prop 8 proponents and opponents. Federal courts have refused to release video recordings from the trial, making Black’s reenactment especially valuable.
Ben Patrick Johnson, an author, activist, actor, and friend of TWO, will perform the role of attorney Theodore Olson. Olson is the former solicitor general for President George W. Bush who argued the case for the plaintiffs alongside legendary Democratic attorney David Boies. The role has also been played by Martin Sheen and John Lithgow in previous staged readings.
After the one-night-only performance, audience members will be able to participate in a talk-back with area politicians and original participants in the historic trial.
For more information, visit the 8 in Sacramento website. Tickets can be purchased here or by clicking on the image below. If you go, don’t forget to tell us how you liked it, as we’ll be seeing “8” when it comes to Vermont in December.
