It’s not something we ever saw ourselves doing, but Jesse and I found ourselves on a double date with our daughter and her boyfriend yesterday. It’s not as creepy as it sounds. The four of us drove into Chicago, saw a play and hit the Taco Bell drive-thru on the way back to Rockford. It was a serious but wonderful time.
“Wonderful” because we love theatre (and tacos). “Serious” because of the subject matter of the play.
We saw The Murder of Emmett Till at the DuSable Museum. The play is a courtroom drama about the two despicable white men found not guilty of the murder of 14-year-old Till. The script is an adaptation of the court transcripts from the 1955 trial and reveals word-for-word the lies, bias, manipulation and cruelty of the lynching, the trial and the town’s politics.
The play also illuminates and emphasizes the strength, focus, independence, intelligence and courage of Mamie Till-Mobley, Emmett’s mother.
The full production is scheduled for 2023, but yesterday’s elaborately staged reading and talkback were insightful and impactful. We were in awe of the excellent, courageous performances, especially Adia Alli who played Mamie.
I assure you Jesse and I don’t plan to go on any more double dates with any of our kids, but if it happens, I hope it’s to see meaningful theatre.
Thanks for reading. Let me know if you’ve seen any theatre lately! -Connie
Connie Kuntz 