Adapted by Matt Pelfrey from the book that inspired the Oscar-winning film, John Ball's In the Heat of the Night is sure to be a compelling evening of theater, filled with murder and mystery.

Set in 1962 — a white man is discovered dead in a small town of Alabama. Local police arrest the only stranger in town, a Black man named Virgil Tibbs. Little do they know that their suspect is an expert homicide detective from California. Left with no witnesses, no motives and no clues, Detective Tibbs becomes this racially tense community’s only hope of solving the brutal murder.

While this story checks all the boxes for an entertaining detective story, it’s also a compelling social commentary. John Ball’s In the Heat of the Night perfectly captures the anger and open hostility of racial tensions in the 1960s. 

“We are at a moment in our country, with our art, politics and even our interactions where we operate in extremes: extreme rage, patriotism, protesting, etc,” said Director Cameron Knight. “For many, it makes any conversation of our history, our journey to this moment and how we deal with each other a delicate subject and often avoided. I believe we must be able to go towards difficult, uncomfortable conversations and at times, actions, in order to grow positively. We are fractured as a society, and if we don’t begin to confront our past and the needs of our future, we are on a path towards despair.”

The Resident Ensemble Players production of John Ball’s In the Heat of the Night runs from Nov. 2-19, at the Roselle Center for the Arts. Tickets can be purchased at the box office, online or by phone at 302-831-2204. Discounts available for students and UD faculty and staff.

For further information, please visit: www.rep.udel.edu