by David W. Rintels

“tremendous”
John Busbee,
ArtScene Magazine
(full review -adobe pdf)

“wonderful”
Jeffrey Bruner,
Des Moines Register
(full review -adobe pdf)

Buy the script on amazon.com:
Clarence Darrow: A one-man play

ORIGINAL RUN
September 10-19, 2004
State Historical Building of Iowa

February 2005
Vaudeville Mews

The cast and crew

About the show

Clarence Darrow by David W. Rintels, based on Clarence Darrow for the Defense by Irving Stone. Here is the famous attorney reminiscing over his long and renowned career, touching on many of his famous trials including the “Monkey” trial and the sensational Leopold-Loeb case. Darrow reviews much of America’s legal history with salty humor, courtroom gusto and human relish. His private life and many contemporary events, including labor conditions, are woven into this story of a man who accepted unpopular cases and defended unpopular causes. This champion of dissenters and underdogs was also a writer and lecturer and he conjures up many famous people of his life and times.

Henry Fonda was nominated for a Tony for the role on Broadway opening March 26, 1974 at the Helen Hayes Theatre under John Houseman’s direction. The first television broadcast was September 4, 1974 on NBC with Fonda reprising the role.

The last US and UK tours of the show starred Leslie Nielsen.

Some cases addressed in the show:

• Haymarket Bombing pardons by then-Governor John Peter Altgeld
• Eugene Debs and the Pullman Strike
• Pennsylvania Coal Miners
• People v Haywood
• McNamara Brothers
• People v Darrow
• The Sweet Trials
• Scopes “Monkey” Trial
• People v Leopold & Loeb

Over his career, Clarence Darrow defended over 100 people charged with murder - with not a single one given the death penalty.

Learn more about Clarence Darrow at the web pages of University of Missouri-Kansas City Law School web site or (for a more brief look at Darrow) on the PBS “American Experience” web page.