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'King's Dream' inspires crowd
By Crystal Meyer
Published:
Thursday, January 23, 2003
Media Credit: scott theisen
Marvin Grays performs �Dr. King�s Dream� in the Atwood Little Theatre Wednesday night. Grays� performance is part of the Minneapolis-based Mixed Blood Theatre. �Dr. King�s Dream� is one of eight Mixed Blood Theatre shows performed at schools.
The Atwood theater was home to "Dr. King's Dream" Wednesday night.
The production by the Mixed Blood Theatre featured Marvin Grays in a simple, one-man show which illustrated The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's life until his 1968 assassination.
The play began with a song of freedom that quickly silenced the crowd.
The Council of African American Students and the Multicultural Student Services sponsored the performance.
"This particular week we wanted to commemorate Martin Luther King's birthday," said Julie Cartwright, Multicultural Services office manager. "We want people to come and learn about him because he has made such a difference in the world, and the Mixed Blood Theatre always does an excellent job."
Through an excellent performance, Grays showed the hero in King we still celebrate today. Throughout the play he documented King's stories of bravery, humanity and soul as an African American.
After the song, the performance began with a description of the Montgomery bus boycott and the bravery of the infamous Rosa Parks. Then, Grays told of the many arrests of King for supposedly speeding -- and the bombing of his house while he gave a speech.
Then he spoke of King's first experience with national news, when his face graced the covers of Time magazine and he spoke on voting rights for African Americans.
Then Grays related King's first brush with death when a women stabbed him with a letter opener and he was rushed to the hospital.
"The actor used speeches I am familiar with and the words were really inspiring," said senior Coral Jentz. "For people that don't know much about Martin Luther King, it was very informative and a good basic education."
Grays' ended the performance with the famous "I have a dream" speech and recalled King's winning the Nobel Peace Prize, where he talked of hopes for the future and for all children.
Minutes later the audience jumped as a loud bang rocked the theatre -- King's assassination had taken place. The crowd was startled and silence again filled the theater.
The play came to an end with a fulfilling and memorable meaning just like the life of Dr. King.
King was shot while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968, by James Earl Ray.
"The actor used speeches I am familiar with and the words were really inspiring," said senior Coral Jentz. "For people that don't know much about Martin Luther King, it was very informative and a good basic education."
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