'A Song for Coretta' Coming to Wayne State University Stage Nov. 6-16

A news release:

Theatre and Dance at Wayne presents Pearl Cleage’s uplifting play A Song For Coretta November 6–16, 2014 at The Studio Theatre. Set in Atlanta in 2006, A Song for Coretta chronicles five African American women and their shared experience as they mourn and celebrate the legacy of the great civil rights activist Coretta Scott King. Tickets are $10 - $12 and are available by calling the theatre box office at (313) 577-2972, online at www.wsustudio.com, or by visiting the box office in the Hilberry Theatre located at 4743 Cass Avenue on the corner of Hancock.

The following excerpt from the Detroit Free Press after Mrs. King’s death encapsulates what her legacy means to so many:

“Mrs. King endeavored to be both mother to the King children and keeper of the King legacy…America may not yet have fulfilled Dr. King’s dream, but because of Mrs. King, it will never be forgotten. Nor will she.” – Detroit Free Press 1 Feb. 2006.

Set on the sidewalk in front of the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, A Song For Coretta centers on five African American women who, despite their differences, share a common desire to pay their respects to Coretta Scott King. From aspiring journalist, to artist, to enlisted military, these women come together from their diverse backgrounds and remember a woman who changed the face of history with her monumental imprint on the civil rights movement. The Studio Theatre production will feature a cast of actors and designers from the metro Detroit region. Specific hometowns are listed below.

A Song For Coretta also features the debut of Faculty Director Billicia Hines. Hines is an Assistant Professor and the Director of the Black Theatre Program at Wayne State University. Previously, she was Director of Theatre at Elizabeth City State University. She began her formal training in drama in the high school program at the North Carolina School of the Arts. Thereafter, she attended North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University in Greensboro, NC (BFA, Professional Theatre) and University of Missouri at Kansas City (MFA, Acting). She is a Certified Teacher of the Michael Chekhov Technique from the Great Lakes Michael Chekhov Consortium, an organization in which she proudly holds the position of Associate Artist.

The cast includes (in alphabetical order):

Breon Canady (Gwen – Detroit), Tayler Jones (Helen – Detroit), Kayla Mundy (Keisha – Detroit), Maria Simpkins (Mona), Erian Williams (Zora – Ypsilanti)

The production team includes:

Billicia Hines (Director), Delaney O’Brien (Stage Manager – Brighton), Sarah Bloch (Costume Designer – Warren), Jonathan Pigott (Scenic Designer – Wyandotte), Peter Lawrence (Lighting Designer ), Aaron Beckius (Sound Designer – Grosse Pointe), Madeline Schnorr (Properties Master – Marshall), Kevin Replinger (Publicist).

About the Studio Theatre

The Studio Theatre is an intimate, 110-seat, open-stage theatre in the lower level of the Hilberry Theatre on Wayne State University’s campus that is often used for experimental, student, and classroom productions. Annual programming includes the Student Stage and the Louise Heck-Rabi Dramatic Writing Competition. For nearly fifty years the Studio Theatre has presented outstanding theatre featuring WSU undergraduate students. With generous support from patrons and donors, the Studio Theatre recently underwent renovation. For box office hours and information on performances, tickets, and group discounts, call the box office at (313) 577-2972 or visit the theatre’s website at www.wsustudio.com

About Wayne State University

Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution offering more than 370 academic–programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 29,000 students.