Prime Stage Theatre’s upcoming presentation of Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott tells the remarkable story of an ordinary American whose simple act of personal bravery changed the history of a nation.
On the morning of December 1st, 1955, 42-year-old Rosa Parks boarded a city bus to her seamstress job at a downtown department store in Montgomery, Alabama. When asked to surrender her seat to a white man and sit in the rear section assigned to African Americans, she politely but insistently refused and was arrested for violating a city ordinance requiring racial segregation of public buses.
Her detention sparked a year-long boycott of Montgomery city buses that stirred America’s social conscience and brought to international prominence a young Montgomery pastor, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., as a powerful spokesperson for the emerging Civil Rights Movement.
“People may know the basic story of Rosa Parks and the bus boycott,” says Prime Stage Theatre artistic director Dr. Wayne Brinda, “but seeing these pivotal historical moments portrayed onstage brings new depth and understanding to the people and their time.”
Written by St. Louis playwright Sue Greenberg and directed by Pittsburgh theatre educator Linda Haston, Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott is the second offering in Prime Stage Theatre’s “Season of Courage and Discovery”, at the New Hazlett Theater.
Rosa Parks is played by Chelsea Davis, making her Pittsburgh debut after New York performances in Rent, Little Shop of Horrors, Romeo and Juliet, Proof, and The Exonerated.
“All our productions emphasize the story’s connection with our audience and their personal lives,” notes Wayne Brinda. “Plays like Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott show how theatre can make a positive impact in our community.”
During the weekends of Jan. 20-21 and Jan. 27-28, families attending performances of Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott can come to the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh MuseumLab, located next to New Hazlett Theater, and see the display curated by Prime Stage’s production team for a behind-the-scenes look at how theatre sets and costumes are designed and made.
The MuseumLab display includes sensory-friendly amenities such as tactile objects, material samples, and an open-captioned film featuring the Prime Stage team.
“We are excited to collaborate with Prime Stage Theater to inspire children by showing the connection between making art and performing art,” says Anne Fullenkamp, Senior Director of Creative Experiences at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh.
It’s a natural expansion of Prime Stage Theatre’s longtime commitment to holistic inclusivity, says Prime Stage artistic director Dr. Wayne Brinda.
TICKETS AND DETAILS
Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott is part of the Prime Stage Sprouts Series for youth aged eight and above and their families. Performances are at the New Hazlett Theater, from January 19th to 28th, 2024, at 7:30 pm on Friday and Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:30 pm.
On the second Sunday of each production, Prime Stage offers signed interpretation with live ASL interpreters, audio description for the visually impaired, live captioning in real-time at the actual performance, and sensory-inclusive activities.
Purchase tickets at: https://ci.ovationtix.com/36406/production/1175925 (Student: $14, Artist $19, Adult $24)
More show information at https://primestage.com/events/rosa-parks/
Special Performances-
- Preview: Fri. Jan.19 at 7:30 pm (pay-what-you-can admission)
- Sensory Inclusive: Sat. January 27th at 2:30 pm (pay-what-you-can admission)
Categories: Arts and Ideas, Show Previews
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