Tonight marks the opening of Peter Sagal’s “Denial” at the Lab Theater in Quirk/Sponberg.

This play takes place in San Diego, CA in present time. Lawyer Abigail Gersten is in charge of defending the first and fourth amendment rights of a Holocaust revisionist.

A Holocaust revisionist is someone who is out to prove that the Holocaust never happened and that it is a figment of the imaginations of the Jewish community. The twist is that Abigail Gersten is of Jewish heritage and still accepts the case.

“It’s a non-stop drama,” freshman cast member Derek Ridge said. “The audience will be on a rollercoaster ride of emotion that will continue to shock and intrigue from start to finish.”

“Denial” got its start in April 2007 when it opened at the Metropolitan Playhouse in New York. This story involves a great deal of Anti-Semitism, Racism, Ageism and Sexism.

“I read the story two years ago and it stuck with me,” senior director Joseph Fournier said.

“I’m not Jewish, but when reading it, there is a relevance that needs to be brought to the forefront,” Fournier said.

September of 1939 started one of the most devastating wars in both American and European history: World War II.

The second World War was a fatal time for anyone who was different or did not fit the Aryan look of blond hair and blue eyes. This marked a difficult time for Polish, Latvian and Jewish people along with many other innocents.

Though this war happened over 50 years ago it is still important and relevant today.

He goes on to mention the court case against Facebook by a Holocaust revisionist. Wherein Facebook was deleting the group’s pages and so it sued for infringing on the first amendment rights. Facebook lost.

“People who see this show need to know that holocaust revisionism is very real,” Fournier said. “There are individuals out there with growing numbers that have the audacity to deny a major piece of cultural heritage of the Jewish community. It is appalling.”

This production is in the Lab Theater, however the show will have a little different set up than what the audience might be used to or have ever seen before. The stage will be in the middle of the room with audience members on both sides.

“After reading ‘Denial’ I found an option to present it this way,” Fournier said. “I wanted to do something different with the space and the script lent itself to this set up.”

“People should see ‘Denial’ because it’s interesting and very powerful,” senior Amber Pope said. “I am so glad to be a part of it and can’t want to see the audience’s reaction.”

“Denial” will be running Jan. 25, 26, 27 and 28 at 8 p.m. and Jan. 27 at 5 p.m. Tickets will be on sale outside the Lab Theater.