A play that showcases Dr. Martin Luther King as the man as well as the icon opens at the Frank Collymore Hall on April 11th, 50 years following his symbolic ‘I have a Dream’ speech at the Lincoln Centre.
The Gale Theatre of Barbados and London will mount this award winning play for its 2013 season that will tell the story of Dr. King’s last night on earth. The two person performance will highlight the philosophy of the Gale Theatre, which is uniting talent, as it combines the acting talents of Richard Pepple – a British actor, with that of Barbadian actress Keisha Pope. This unification of talent and cultural exchange starts with the two Directors of Gale Theatre – London born Melissa Simmonds and Barbadian born Peter Lewis.
Entitled “The Mountaintop,” this run will be the Caribbean premier as it first opened in London on the fringe some time ago, then it played on the West End before moving on to Broadway. Producer Melissa Simmonds has been trying to get the rights to the play for the past three years. The Methuen Drama is quoted as saying that ‘the play is a dramatic feat of daring originality, historical narration and triumphant compassion.’
An added plus for opening night attendees is that Olivier Award winning playwright Katori Hall from Memphis will be in Barbados to attend the Caribbean premier of her play compliments the US Embassy and Republic Bank who are sponsors of the Gale Theatre and the work that is being done by the Company. She will conduct workshops for 10 specially selected young Barbadian writers on April 10th while on island. These workshops will take place at the Frank Collymore Hall.
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