In Craig Alan Edwards' critically acclaimed 'The Man in Room 306,' Martin Luther King Jr. reflects on his life while in a Memphis hotel, the day before he dies. The play is at Luna Stage April 12- May 13.
There is the Martin Luther King Jr. of history, the inspirational and impassioned leader, and there is King the man, a 39-year-old father of four who felt his mission was divinely driven, one that ended with his assassination on April 4, 1968.
To mark the 50th anniversary of King’s death, Luna Stage presents “The Man in Room 306” April 12 to May 13, the one-man show by Craig Alan Edwards that had its world premiere at Luna in 1995.
“People know sound bites of Dr. King. They know ‘I have a dream.’ They know ‘I’ve been to the mountaintop.’ This play allows us to see the man, to hear what he might have been thinking,” said Jerome Preston Bates, the TV and film actor who is directing Luna’s production.
“We get to understand his fears. We get to understand his doubts; his relationship to Daddy King, his mother, his wife, Coretta, and to a small degree his children and those around him like young Jesse Jackson and Hosea Williams,” Bates continued. “We get to understand his sacrifice: He knew every day that his life could be ended and he still got up to be Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.”
Cheryl Katz was unfamiliar with the theatre until she directed the play’s premiere in 1995. Several years later, she joined Luna’s staff and, in 2013, was appointed its artistic director. Under her leadership, Luna revived the play in 2008 for the 40th anniversary of King’s assassination. She decided to do so again to mark the half-century mark. (This is also her last show as Luna’s artistic director.)
“I feel his message and legacy is always relevant, but it seems especially painfully relevant today,” said Katz. “I find myself wondering if (King) had lived and worked another 30 years, would we be where we are right now?”
This is the first production of “The Man in Room 306” to include video footage and to star someone other than playwright Edwards as King. Instead, Newark native Jamil A. C. Mangan plays the civil rights leader. Bates said Mangan does not resemble King — but the portrayal is an homage, not an imitation.
“We want to bring Dr. King’s spirit, his purpose, to the play as much as we can,” Bates said. “That conviction, that sacrifice.”
“The Man in Room 306” is set on April 3, 1968, at Memphis’ Lorraine Hotel, where King would be shot and killed the next day.
On the night of April 3, King delivered his famous “I’ve been to the mountaintop” speech which included the lines:
“I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And so I’m happy, tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man.”
Despite the conviction in those words, King was depressed and struggling during that time, Bates said. Some of his followers believed that his non-violent approach was no longer effective and stronger actions needed to be taken.
In “The Man in Room 306,” the fictional King shares his doubts. He’s tired from the never-ending struggle. His advocacy has kept him away from his family and from a simpler life, enjoying things such as baseball and opera.
“He was not a perfect man. He was just a man,” Bates said. “But he stepped into those shoes and gave his life for the betterment of the world. He was one of the most profound drum majors for justice to ever walk the earth.”
THE MAN IN ROOM 306
Luna Stage
555 Valley Rd., West Orange
Tickets: $ 32-37, available online at www.lunastage.com. April 12 – May 13.
Natalie Pompilio is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia. She can be reached at nataliepompilio@yahoo.com. Find her on Twitter @nataliepompilio. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook.