"You don't tame the lion and leave the jungle unchanged." So argues Malcolm X in Jeff Stetson's thought-provoking play The Meeting, presented at Hamilton as part of its Martin Luther King Jr. Day events on Monday, Jan. 21 and Tuesday Jan. 22. Through an intense philosophical debate over violent and non-violent resistance, this taut drama attempts to show the audience what might have happened if Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. had ever met.
Starring Christian Baxter '10 as Malcolm X, Sean McHugh '09 as his associate Rashad, and Luvoyo Mandela '09 as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the play progresses through a clever metamorphosis and transformation of the two main characters. The chasm that separates King and Malcolm X is exemplified by a rapid exchange that occurs early in the play: "Still the dreamer?" the latter asks. "Still the revolutionary?" King retorts.
Malcolm X later offers Dr. King an apple that he does not want. More than just a friendly gesture, this action leads Malcolm X to argue that if something is good, it is justifiable to force it upon people. He extends this metaphor to the oppression of blacks in America, contending that the public "won't swallow the truth, even if it's good for them." After the first of three contentious arm-wrestling matches, Dr. King warns against the endless cycle of violence among races and peoples that he believes Malcolm X's movement encourages.
Although the tension between Dr. King and Malcolm X grows anxiously throughout most of the play, Malcolm X finally examines the contents of a paper bag that Dr. King has brought and discovers a gift for the former's daughter. This simple yet thoughtful act produces a human connection between the main characters, and they come to something of a mutual understanding. After holding an amicable arm-wrestling tiebreaker and declaring it a draw, Dr. King suggests that he and Malcolm X should work through their differences to accomplish much more than they could individually: "Imagine how much we would have accomplished if we had joined hands and pushed in the same direction."
Directed by Theatre Professor Mark Cryer, this award-winning play made for a profound evening. To check the availability of tickets for the Tuesday, Jan. 22, dinner and performance, call 315-859-4057. Reservations are strongly advised. The play is free for all; the dinner is free for Hamilton community members and $10 for the general public.
-- By David Foster '10
Starring Christian Baxter '10 as Malcolm X, Sean McHugh '09 as his associate Rashad, and Luvoyo Mandela '09 as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the play progresses through a clever metamorphosis and transformation of the two main characters. The chasm that separates King and Malcolm X is exemplified by a rapid exchange that occurs early in the play: "Still the dreamer?" the latter asks. "Still the revolutionary?" King retorts.
Malcolm X later offers Dr. King an apple that he does not want. More than just a friendly gesture, this action leads Malcolm X to argue that if something is good, it is justifiable to force it upon people. He extends this metaphor to the oppression of blacks in America, contending that the public "won't swallow the truth, even if it's good for them." After the first of three contentious arm-wrestling matches, Dr. King warns against the endless cycle of violence among races and peoples that he believes Malcolm X's movement encourages.
Although the tension between Dr. King and Malcolm X grows anxiously throughout most of the play, Malcolm X finally examines the contents of a paper bag that Dr. King has brought and discovers a gift for the former's daughter. This simple yet thoughtful act produces a human connection between the main characters, and they come to something of a mutual understanding. After holding an amicable arm-wrestling tiebreaker and declaring it a draw, Dr. King suggests that he and Malcolm X should work through their differences to accomplish much more than they could individually: "Imagine how much we would have accomplished if we had joined hands and pushed in the same direction."
Directed by Theatre Professor Mark Cryer, this award-winning play made for a profound evening. To check the availability of tickets for the Tuesday, Jan. 22, dinner and performance, call 315-859-4057. Reservations are strongly advised. The play is free for all; the dinner is free for Hamilton community members and $10 for the general public.
-- By David Foster '10
