Mosaic Theater Honors Civil Rights Icon In THE TILL TRILOGY
Performances run October 4 - November 20, 2022.
Mosaic Theater Company commences its first season helmed by Artistic Director Reginald L. Douglas with Ifa Bayeza's highly anticipated theatrical anthology The Till Trilogy, on stage October 4 - November 20, 2022. The three-play cycle honors the life and legacy of Emmett Till, with Bayeza training a contemporary lens on a flashpoint in American history. The plays that comprise The Till Trilogy are The Ballad of Emmett Till, on the journey of the boy from his home in Chicago to Money, Mississippi; Benevolence, on the ripple effects of the murder throughout the Delta region and beyond; and world premiere That Summer in Sumner, focusing on the quest for justice led by a group of Black journalists. The Till Trilogy will be directed by Talvin Wilks.
The productions will be staged simultaneously, in rotating repertory, for the very first time, with 10 actors playing 75 characters. Tickets are available at mosaictheater.org.
The murder of Emmett Till remains one of the most pivotal moments in American history and ignited the modern Civil Rights Movement. Rooted in poetic, lyrical, and compassionate language, this landmark undertaking brings to life the indomitability of Till's spirit, the tragedy of his death, a historic miscarriage of justice, and the indelible impact of his legacy.
The Till Trilogy continues a rich collaboration between playwright Bayeza and director Wilks, who also led Penumbra Theatre's acclaimed productions of The Ballad of Emmett Till and Benevolence.
Additionally, Mosaic is partnering with more than 20 organizations on the companion Reflection Series, a citywide series of concerts, readings, and panels that offer audiences to creatively engage with themes of justice and activism. More information below.
The Till Trilogy is made possible by extraordinary support from The Roy Cockrum Foundation. Additional funding is from the National Endowment for the Arts and the CrossCurrents Foundation.
The Ballad of Emmett Till
With music, magic, and humor, The Ballad of Emmett Till introduces Emmett, or "Bo," a boisterous Chicago adolescent teaming with curiosity and excited about his summer trip to Mississippi. On this mythic journey, his fateful encounter at a country store changes his life and our nation forever.
That Summer in Sumner (world premiere)
Drawn from courtroom transcripts, news accounts, and government records, world premiere That Summer in Sumner reimagines the Mississippi trial of the accused killers of Emmett Till and the quest of a team of African-American reporters to uncover the truth and get new evidence before the Jim Crow court. With palpable energy, That Summer in Sumner takes audiences along for the ride on the reporters' perilous-and sometimes hilarious-journey.
Benevolence
A poignant and powerful look into the ripple effects of Emmett Till's murder, Benevolence follows two couples-one Black and one white-as they struggle with their knowledge of the killing and the toll it takes on their lives and love. With rich language and harrowing honesty, Benevolence invites audiences to reflect upon how our collective history still resonates in our personal lives today.
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