Pauline Adamek
Playwright Katori Hall’s Olivier Award–winning drama The Mountaintop reimagines what Dr. King’s last night on Earth could have been.
Pictured above: L-R: Amanda Warren and Jon Michael Hill in The Mountaintop at Geffen Playhouse. Directed by Patricia McGregor. Photo by Frank Ishman.
Topical, historical and gripping, Katori Hall’s Olivier Award-winning drama The Mountaintop is a powerful and thought-provoking play that explores the humanity of Martin Luther King, Jr. on the eve of his assassination. Hall sets her play in Dr. King’s hotel room in Memphis, Tennessee, imagining a fateful encounter with a hotel employee who might not quite be who she appears to be.
During the encounter between these two, we watch Dr. King as he grapples with his own mortality and the weighty responsibility of the future of the civil rights movement.
An American playwright, screenwriter, producer, actress, and director, Katori Hall hails from Memphis, Tennessee. Deft and confident in her writing, Hall’s play is a tour-de-force of layered composition and story. Her dialogue is witty and sharply observed, and her characters are complex and believable.
Jon Michael Hill gives a superb performance as Dr. King, conveying his charisma, his intelligence, and his profound sense of conviction. Frequently portrayed as a larger-than-life icon, Hall’s play reveals him as a complex and flawed human being. We see him struggle with his own mortality, his doubts, and his fears. As portrayed by Hall, and brought to life by Hill, this towering figure seems more relatable and ultimately more powerful.
Amanda Warren is equally excellent as Camae, the hotel maid who provides King with companionship, wisdom and support on his final night.
Anyone interested in American history, civil rights, or simply great theater will appreciate The Mountaintop. This is a powerful and insightful play that will linger with you long after you have seen it.
Photo by Isaak Berliner.
From the press release:
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Tony nominee Jon Michael Hill, Elementary, Superior Donuts) retires to the Lorraine Motel after delivering his history-altering “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech and encounters Camae (Amanda Warren, Gossip Girl, East New York, Dickinson), a mysterious maid with some surprising news. As a lightning storm rages outside, the legacy of America’s most revered civil rights leader is laid bare to reveal his profound humanity. More info HERE.
THE MOUNTAINTOP
Written by Katori Hall
Directed by Patricia McGregor
Runs through July 9, 2023
CAST:
Jon Michael Hill as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Amanda Warren as Camae
PRODUCTION TEAM:
Scenic Designer Rachel Myers
Costume Designer Mylette Nora
Lighting Designer Lap Chi Chu
Sound Designer Cricket S. Myers
Projection Designer Yee Eun Nam
Associate Director Dennis Whitehead Darling
Dramaturg Rebecca Phillips Epstein
Production Stage Manager Alyssa Escalante
Assistant Stage Manager Amber R. Dettmers
Casting Director Phyllis Schuringa, CSA
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:
Monday: No performances
Tuesday – Friday: 8:00 p.m.
Saturday: 3:00 and 8:00 p.m.
Sunday: 2:00 and 7:00 p.m.
LOCATION:
Gil Cates Theater at Geffen Playhouse
10886 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024
TICKET INFORMATION:
Tickets currently priced at $39.00 – $129.00. Available by phone at 310.208.2028 or online at www.geffenplayhouse.org. Fees may apply.
Rush tickets for each day’s performance are made available to the general public one hour before showtime at the box office. $35.00 General/$15.00 Student.
