“I HAVE A DREAM” BROADWAY MUSICAL PERFORMED BY
PRESENTED BY MATSU MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. FOUNDATION
September 24-27, 2020 at the Glenn Massay Theater FOR TICKETS: CALL 907.746.9300 OR VISIT GLENNMASSAYTHEATER.COM STUDENTS: $5.00 SENIORS/VETERANS: $7.00 GENERAL ADMISSION: $25.00 GALA NIGHT: $65.00
PRESS RELEASE – May 2020
Herman LeVern Jones’ TheatreSouth (TSA) is thrilled to tour “I Have A Dream” the Broadway Musical to the MatSu area, presented by the MatSu Martin Luther King, Jr. Foundation! The performances will feature residents (with a focus on youth) from the MatSu and surrounding communities as actors, singers, dancers and musicians. The performers will go through an intensive rehearsal process that will involve theory, history, script analysis, acting coaching and open discussions about the Civil Rights Movement and its impact on life in the United States today.
There are also opportunities for behind-the-scenes involvement in the areas of stage management, lighting/sound/set design, costuming, hair and make-up.
"I Have A Dream" is a gospel musical on the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that chronicles the major events of the Civil Rights Movement from December 1, 1955 when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a White person up to the assassination of Dr. King on April 4, 1968. This depiction of Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement gives tremendous insight into Dr. King's love of his family, his sense of humor, and the incredible sacrifices that Americans made in the fight for racial equality.
The production is a compilation of 28 Gospel songs/parts of songs from the Civil Rights Movement such as We Shall Over Come, We Shall Not Be Moved, His Eye is on the Sparrow, Precious Lord Take My Hand, Anybody Here Seen My Old Friend Martin and the Negro National Anthem, Lift Every Voice and Sing!
There are 125+ slides of Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement. We journey back to Atlanta, Montgomery, Memphis and other historical cities and see Blacks and Whites in a very historical context. We see President John Kennedy and his brother Attorney General Robert Kennedy making decisions that shaped America into the country it is today. Mrs. Coretta Scott King, Reverend Ralph Abernathy and Jesse Jackson, Stoke Carmichael and many others come to life and share their experiences in the Civil Rights Movement.
“I Have A Dream” was first presented on Broadway with Billy Dee Williams in 1976. The production was later procured by Dr. Woodie King, Jr. of the New Federal Theatre and the National Black Touring Circuit, Inc. of New York City under the guidance of Herman LeVern Jones, Associate Producer of the National Black Touring Circuit, Inc. and toured to over 125 cities both nationally and internationally including but not limited to Manchester and Birmingham, England, Luxembourg, New York City, Dallas, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, in Winston Salem, North Carolina at the first National Black Theatre Festival in 1989, etc. The production has also been seen in recent years in South Florida at Florida International University, South Miami Dade Cultural Arts Center, Coral Springs Center for the Arts and the Phichol Williams Center to rave reviews and packed houses.
Return to Alaska!
The upcoming performances mark the second time in over three decades that “I Have A Dream” will grace the communities of Alaska with its presence. The production was played in Anchorage in 1986 and Artistic Director Herman LeVern Jones is thrilled to return:
“I’m truly blessed to be touring a play that honors the life and legacy of Dr. King. And to come back to Alaska after all these years is amazing. What a journey it’s been!”
The Cast
“I Have A Dream” will feature actors from New York, Miami and the Palmer community. The most rewarding part of the process is merging seasoned performers with budding talent right here in Alaska. Donovan Woods, a New York based actor, will transform into Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. alongside Samantha Davis from Miami, who will play his wife Coretta Scott King. Marvin St. Vil, a young actor from Miami, will understudy the role of Dr. King, Jr. Jacovia Farrington, Pam Hankerson, Deon Taylor, Deon Griffin-Pressley, and Corey Patrick-Edwards will join local residents Justin Giese, Kevin Lamar Henderson, Bernice Fugere, Cheryl Puryear, Phillip Dunne, and Clata Puryear to light up the stage with scenes from the Civil Donovan Woods as Dr. King Rights Movement!
Samantha Davis, (right) playing Pam Hankerson performing at the Jacovia Farrington (right) in Annapolis, Coretta Scott King Coral Springs Center for the Arts Maryland About the Mat-Su Martin Luther King, Jr. Foundation
The Mat-Su MLK, Jr. Foundation was established in 2001. Our missions are to show reflections of racial and ethnic harmony; to bridge and build various ethnic communities; to promote a feeling of racial and ethnic unity in the Mat-Su by facilitating a forum to bring citizens and stakeholders together through education, communication, and social interactions, to establish and maintain a scholarship fund for Mat-Su Borough graduating high school students; to promote multiculturalism in the Mat-Su Borough; to convene annually on the national holiday of Martin Luther King Jr.; and to educate and bring awareness of the concepts and ideals of Dr. King.
“We wanted to do something different this year, to go beyond our annual celebration. To celebrate Dr. King, Jr.’s legacy in a way that Aundra Jackson, MatSu MLK Jr. will impact MatSu residents for years. We are elated that our vision Foundation President two years ago of honoring Dr. King, Jr. historically through theatre has come to fruition!” – Aundra O. Jackson
About TheatreSouth Atlanta, Inc.
TheatreSouth Atlanta, Inc. dba Herman LeVern Jones’ TheatreSouth (TSA) was founded in 2007 in Atlanta, Georgia and cultivated a variety of projects in the metro area such as “A Rude Awakening” written by the CEO of the Association of Black Cardiologists, a commemorative celebration of Yolanda King, “Ghost Stories of the Blacksmith Curse”, “A Raisin in the Sun”, a national tour of “MADAM” on the life and times of Madam CJ Walker and an internship program for Georgia State University students.
TSA is now based in Miami, Florida and has presented plays all throughout the South Florida at the Adrienne Arsht Center, the South Miami Dade TSA Founder Herman LeVern Jones (Center) teaching theatre administration to high school students Cultural Arts Center, Florida International University, the Coral Springs Center for the Arts, and the Pompano Beach Cultural Center.
"I Have A Dream" is a must see!! Don’t miss out on this historically significant event! Call TheatreSouth at 786.580.7389 or email [email protected] to find out how you can get involved!
For more information or to find out how to get involved, contact:
Office: 786.580.7389 [email protected] theatresouth.net hermanlevernjones.net @theatresouth
Mat-Su Martin Luther King, Jr. Foundation PO Box 875754, Wasilla, AK 99687 Phone number: 907.227.9799 Email: [email protected]
A huge thanks to our supporters and sponsors!