BEST OF ENEMIES at The Justice Theater Project

BEST OF ENEMIES is based on the book The Best of Enemies: Race and Redemption in the New South by Osha Gray Davidson. Set in 1971 in Durham, N.C., BEST OF ENEMIES is the true story of the unlikely relationship between Ann Atwater, a single mom fighting to improve the lives of African-Americans in her community, and C.P. Ellis, Exalted Cyclops of the local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), who views blacks as inferior and is opposed to racial equality. Laws were implemented in 1970 to eliminate desegregation in schools; the city officials and the KKK prevented it. After a black middle school suffers severe fire damage, the city must decide where the students will go: either back to their devastated classrooms or integrated with the white students in their school. Fueled by the hatred Atwater and Ellis felt for each other, they came together to co-chair a community summit on the desegregation of schools in Durham, N.C. They must work together to face the best and worst of themselves as they clash. The ensuing debate and battle soon lead to surprising revelations that forever changed both of their lives.

FREE COMMUNITY EVENTS & DISCUSSIONS BEFORE SHOWTIMES:

Friday, February 10, 2023, 6:20 p.m. “Meet the Director, Yamila Monge,” for a pre-show discussion with Q & A, hear her vision for the show, and how it is even more pertinent today. Enjoy refreshments, 7:30 p.m. show (requires a ticket).

The Justice Theater Project 8208 Brownleigh Drive, Raleigh, NC 27617

Saturday, February 11, 2023, 6:20 p.m. Pre-show discussion with North Carolina Psych Association member Dr. Kristi Webb, “Why Change is So Hard: How people change…when they don’t really want to”. 7:30 p.m. show (requires a ticket).

The Justice Theater Project 8208 Brownleigh Drive, Raleigh, NC 27617

Sunday, February 12, 2023, 3:15 p.m. Free Childcare! Reservation is required, and the 3:30 p.m. show requires a ticket.

The Justice Theater Project 8208 Brownleigh Drive, Raleigh, NC 27617

Sunday, February 19, 2023, 2:20 p.m. Pre-show discussion with Bill Riddick, the facilitator of the original charette portrayed in the play. 3:30 p.m. show (requires a ticket). Audio descriptions for the visually impaired are available by reservation.

More about Mr. Riddick and the Durham 1971 Charrette:

“To truly know a charrette is to know that small miracles happen when people who care about their community come together, sharing their fears and desires while building strong connections. But one thing is certain: it can be a struggle. People have to be present and willing to talk, and the most logical charette-based tools must be used at the correct juncture. In one famous instance, showcased in the 2019 Hollywood film, “The Best of Enemies,” and the 2007 book of the same name by Osha Gray Davidson, the first day of a controversial 1971 10-day charrette involving school desegregation in Durham, North Carolina, was, as Riddick puts it, “The worst workday I have had in my whole life!”