Live at Rose Lehrman Marks 50th Anniversary Of Civil Rights Leader’s Assassination With L.A. Theatre Works’ Presentation
Jan. 19, 2018
HARRISBURG, Pa. – In celebration of Black History Month, Live at Rose Lehrman will showcase the award-winning “The Mountaintop,” a fictitious work depicting the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s final hours on Earth.
“The Mountaintop,” which marks the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights leader’s assassination, will be performed by L.A. Theatre Works Feb. 15, 2018, at 7:30 p.m. in the Rose Lehrman Arts Center theatre on HACC’s Harrisburg Campus. Show attendees are invited to join a post-show discussion featuring the cast and reception hosted by HACC’s Office of Inclusion and Diversity.
Background
On the evening of April 4, 1968, King was assassinated outside of Room 306 in The Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. What happened inside Room 306 the night before the killing is a mystery. In her internationally acclaimed play, “The Mountaintop,” playwright Katori Hall fantasizes what may have transpired in the overnight hours between the legendary civil rights leader and a seemingly inconsequential hotel maid.
Winner of the prestigious Olivier Award for Best New Play, “The Mountaintop” is overflowing with humor and political jabs. The play also gives us a glimpse at the human side of King after his famed final speech, punctuated by the immortal line, “I’ve been to the mountaintop.” The celebrated reverend reveals his hopes, regrets and fears, creating a masterful bridge between mortality and immortality.
The Cast
The 2018 national tour of L.A. Theatre Works’ “The Mountaintop,” will feature Karen Malina White and Gilbert Glenn Brown, both film, television and stage actors. Shirley Jo Finney will direct.
White has received two NAACP Image Awards as well as the LA Drama Critics Award and the LA Ovation Award. She has been seen on screen in “Lean On Me” with Morgan Freeman and numerous independent films such as “The Ties That Bind” and “Where Do We Go From Here.” Her television credits include “The Cosby Show,” “How To Get Away With Murder,” “Living Single,” “Animal Kingdom” and “Veep.”
Brown is an accomplished stage actor with credits including the Goodman Theatre, True Colors Theatre Company and National Black Theatre Festival. Television appearances include “Stranger Things,” “Valor,” “CSI Miami,” “Cold Case” and “The Shield.” On film, he’s been seen in “Best of Enemies,” “Dreamgirls,” “Drumline II” and “Raising the Heights.”
Finney is a multi-award winning director with credits that include the Goodman Theatre, Pasadena Playhouse, McCarter Theater, the Humana Festival, Kennedy Center and the Sundance Theater Workshop.
Ticket Information
Tickets are $28 for adults and $10 for HACC students. Please note the show is for mature audiences only (ages 18 and older).
To purchase tickets, please visit LiveatRoseLehrman.org. For more information, please call 717-231-ROSE (7673).
