‘The Inheritance,’ inspired by ‘Howards End,’ examines gay culture in wake of AIDS

‘The Inheritance, Parts One and Two’ Through Nov. 2 Round House Theatre 4545 East-West Highway Bethesda, MD 20814 Tickets start at $50 Roundhousetheatre.org

When Tom Story first saw “The Inheritance” on Broadway, he was instantly enthralled. Out playwright Matthew López’s Tony and Olivier Award-winning play about gay culture in the wake of AIDS, is the kind of work Story prizes most.

“The Inheritance” is inspired by gay novelist E.M. Forster’s stunning Edwardian novel “Howards End,” an entertaining investigation of class distinction and the meaning of property. But here, the story is moved from Edwardian England to Manhattan and Upstate New York (the Berkshires for this production) and from early 20th century traditional families and couples to a group of gay men.

In the past, Story, wh