Milwaukee Rep Visits ‘The Mountaintop’

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a towering legend of the 20th century, a man whose voice still echoes in popular consciousness from recordings made decades ago. The man identified with civil rights more than any other figure of the last century is at the center of Katori Hall's The Mountaintop, opening this week at the Milwaukee Rep.

The play focuses on a single moment in time: Martin Luther King Jr.’s last night on Earth. King is in the Lorraine Motel, having just delivered his “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech. A young maid goes to the motel room and has a conversation with King. With this play, Hall is aiming to add some perspective on the legend of the man who would prove to be so influential.

New York actor J. Bernard Calloway has the unenviable task of portraying an iconic man with a voice nearly everyone can recognize. Calloway recently appeared on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning production of Memphis. Fellow New York actor Nikiya Mathis plays Camae, the maid who speaks with King in his hotel room on the final night of his life.

The Milwaukee Rep's production of The Mountaintop runs Sept. 26-Nov. 4. For ticket reservations, call 414-224-9490.

Theater Happenings

• Mark Anderson performs a one-man, one-weekend-only show for Theatre Gigante titled Me, You, Art and Trout. Topics covered in the evening-length spoken-word piece include those mentioned in the title ("Trout" refers to Trout Fishing in America). The show runs Sept. 27-29 at UWM Kenilworth Studio 508. For tickets, call 414-229-4308.

• Theatrical Tendencies brings postmodern musical theater to the stage as it presents [title of show]. The musical about a couple of guys and their friends writing a musical in a matter of weeks runs Sept. 28-Oct. 13 at Soulstice Theatre in St. Francis. For ticket reservations, visit theatricaltendencies.tix.com.