Do a little more to appreciate Martin Luther King Jr.’s accomplishments this Monday and check out a commemorative performance that attends to the trials, tribulations and responsibilities of citizenship in today’s society.
The piece, titled When in the Course of Human Events: Creative Disobedience and Why the World Can’t Wait, will examine many economic, social and political issues that Martin Luther King Jr. addressed in his lifetime. Far more than a simply historical spectacle, the performance attempts to ground these issues in the present, adding a sense of urgency to its message.
Associate theater professor Anna D. Shapiro, who has directed 13 pieces at Steppenwolf in the past decade, will direct When in the Course of Human Events, which features readings and performances inspired by some of history’s most influential figures. The performance will include works by Mark Twain, Henry David Thoreau, Martin Luther King Jr., Naomi Wallace and Harold Pinter, as well as the recent testimony from the Commission of Inquiry on Crimes Against Humanity Committed by the Bush Administration.
Shapiro, who also helped sponsor the event, will have a wealth of talent to work with on the project. Notable presenters include Emmy Award-winning actor Mike Nussbaum, and the piece will feature many local talents from Steppenwolf and Lookingglass theatre companies, The Second City and Congo Square.
When in the Course of Human Events is playing at the Steppenwolf Upstairs Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St., Jan. 16 at 7:00 p.m. Reservations are not required, but may be made by calling World Can’t Wait at 773-412-8318. An optional donation to World Can’t Wait is suggested and can be made online at www.worldcantwait.net.
-Michael Burgner