When thinking about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., many picture the civil rights activist who delivered the “I Have a Dream” speech. However, Dr. King was much more than the civil rights icon he is presented as.
“The Meeting” – a production written by Jeff Stetson – explores a part of Dr. King’s life that, to this day, not much is known about: his relationship with fellow activist Malcom X.
The show is directed by Shaun Diggs, a former Sinclair student. Diggs did not present the idea of “The Meeting” himself. Gina Neuerer, the director of theatre and dance at Sinclair, approached him and offered him a seat in the director’s chair. He had knowledge of the show, but after reading the script in its entirety, he was eager to explore the story and the men involved.
This show is described by Diggs as “intimate” and a “story [that] tells itself.” He says that it is a chance to see the more raw, vulnerable sides of both Dr. King and Malcolm X.
Diggs believes “The Meeting” is not a presentation of activists fighting for what they believe in; it instead shows how that fighting is done. This production explores what a meeting between the two might have been like, taking their disagreements into account.
Other than a crew to craft sets, design costumes, and make the show come to life, Diggs found that it also required an emotional investment. He had to ensure that there was a purpose for everything, including the characters. For a theatrical production of this caliber especially, dynamics are crucial.
Diggs says that this show is important not only because it is a “piece of art” but also because it “talks so much about what happened to us – what happened to them.”
Though the play itself is fictional, Diggs states that he is grateful for the opportunity to dive deep into who Dr. King and Malcolm X really were.
People can see the show on Wednesday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. and on Thursday, Feb. 10 at noon and 7 p.m. “The Meeting” will take place in the Blair Hall Theatre located in Building 2, and is free to everyone.
Carly Webster
Reporter