Luna Stage Presents ‘Man In Room 306’ In Honor Of MLK

WEST ORANGE, NJ — It’s been 50 years since the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. But even now – half a century after the civil rights icon’s passing – his memory acts as a bittersweet muse.

On Thursday, April 12, Luna Stage in West Orange will kick off a revival of “The Man In Room 306” as the final play in its 25th season. The theater’s signature piece was written by Craig Alan Edwards and will star Jamil A.C. Mangan as Dr. King.

Mangan, a graduate of Newark Arts High, has appeared at Luna in Athol Fugard’s “Master Harold and the Boys.”

According to Luna Stage, director Jerome Preston Bates has appeared as an actor on and off-Broadway, in film, television and regional theater.

Here’s how Luna Stage describes the production:

“This one-man play is set on April 3rd, 1968: a rainy evening at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee and the last night in the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. These are the declining years of the Civil Rights Movement and the stakes couldn't be higher: the viability of nonviolence in the civil rights struggle and Dr. King's credibility as its symbolic leader are in jeopardy. Under these trying circumstances, Dr. King finds himself alone in Room 306, struggling with his past, anxious about his future, and coming to terms with his life. The Man in Room 306 is a critically acclaimed, intimate, and human portrait of Dr. King: a fictional glimpse into the private passions and fears of an incredible man during an extraordinary time.”

According to Luna Stage:

“The Man In Room 306 was brought to Luna in 1995 by Craig Alan Edwards and Cheryl Katz who worked to develop the piece. When the play opened at Luna Craig Alan Edwards played the role of Dr. King and the play was directed by Cheryl Katz. After a very successful run during the 1995/1956 season, Luna revived the piece for the 2007/2008 season. Subsequently in 2010 that production transferred to New York as an off-Broadway production at 59 E 59 Theatre. The play is being revived this year as a memorial to the assassination of Dr. King 50 years ago this month.”

Performances begin April 12 and will continue through May 13. Performances are Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.; Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Luna Stage is located in West Orange at 555 Valley Road which is in the Valley Arts District. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.lunastage.org or call the box office at (973) 395-5551.

• See related article: Essex County Students, Officials Speak On 50th Year Of MLK's Death

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