Waynesburg University’s Stover Scholars Program will present “Province and Duty: The legacy of Marbury v. Madison" in celebration of Constitution Day Thursday, Sept. 19, at noon in the Goodwin Performing Arts Center. The play is directed by Waynesburg University Professor of Theatre, Edward L. Powers.
“This drama brings to the life the political and constitutional dynamics behind the Supreme Court's most famous decision, Marbury v. Madison," said Dr. Lawrence M. Stratton, director of the Stover Center for Constitutional Studies and Moral Leadership and associate professor of ethics and constitutional law.
The play dramatizes the 1803 Supreme Court case Marbury v. Madison, in which Chief Justice John Marshall opined for a unanimous Supreme Court, "It is emphatically the province and duty to say what the law is" and held that the Judiciary Act of 1789 was unconstitutional, thereby asserting the power of judicial review, the authority of the Supreme Court to strike down unconstitutional laws.
Ryan Williams, a junior political science major, chaired a committee of Stover Scholars who authored the play based on the ESPN show “Sports Center”:
"Over the past few months, we really wanted to make a play that was not only true to Marbury v. Madison, but one that has a unique taste and is easy to understand for the audience. We really believe that the ‘Court Center’ sports theme will be refreshing and entertaining. It will also prove to be a great learning experience for the those in attendance that do not know much about the historic case."