Gustavus to Stage Reading of Dustin Lance Black’s Documentary 8

The Department of Theatre and Dance and the Chaplain’s Office at Gustavus Adolphus College, in collaboration with the student organization Queers and Allies, will present a staged reading of Academy Award-winner Dustin Lance Black’s new documentary play 8 on Sunday, October 14 on the Gustavus campus. Featuring a stellar cast of students, faculty, staff, and alumni of the College, the reading is being presented as part of the Christ Chapel’s Jubilee Celebration and will begin at 6 p.m., Sunday, October 14 in Christ Chapel. The performance is directed by Henry MacCarthy, assistant professor of theatre and dance. Tickets are not required and the event is open to the public. Please join us for this unique presentation and stay around for a discussion immediately following the reading.

Academy-award winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (Milk, J. Edgar)—demystifies the debate around marriage equality by chronicling California’s landmark trial of Perry v. Schwarzenegger. Using the actual court transcripts from the landmark federal trial of California’s Prop. 8 and first-hand interviews, 8 shows both sides of the debate in this moving 90-minute play. That case, which sought to overturn the 2008 voter-approved Prop. 8 legislation that denied same-sex couples the right to marry, ultimately led to a California federal judge’s ruling that Prop. 8 was unconstitutional and unfairly discriminated against homosexuals.

The cast for the staged reading of Black’s 8 includes Gustavus students (Cameron Blair ’15, Brady Mueller ’15, Rob Ward’14), faculty and staff (Mark Braun, provost,  Joel Carlin, Eric Carlson, Sean Cobb, Tom Crady,  Thomas Emmert,  Lisa Heldke ’82, Kurt Irvin, Rob Kendrick, Glenn Kranking ’98, Martin Lang ’95, Paula O’Loughlin, Melissa Rolnick, Amy Seham) and the special participation of Gustavus alumni, Andrea Gullixson ’10, Pastor Eric Gustavson ’66, Pastor Susan Peterson ’65, and Gary Rankila ’68.