SUMMER OF ’63

 

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SUMMER OF ’63

Written by York Walker
Directed by Lauren Miller*

Featuring:  Lateefah Holder*, Omoze Idehenre*, Brandon Jones*+, Mandi Masden*, John Clarence Stewart*, Tyee Tilghman*, & Titus Tompkins*

 

Wednesday June 17th at 7PM
Thursday June 18th
at 7PM

It’s the SUMMER OF ’63, and change is in the hot and humid air for the Taylor family as a string of violent hate crimes strikes in their Georgia community. Unexpected love blossoms, and secrets start to chip away at the stability they seek. As civil rights leaders plan the March on Washington, love and friendship are tested in a summer that none of them will ever forget. 

FROM THE PLAYWRIGHT:

What was originally intended to be a modern version of Garcia Lorcas The House of Bernarda Alba, transformed into what is now Summer Of ’63. I was performing in the play at the time and saw several parallels between the story and my own life. I grew up in a Christian home where the pressure to always behave in a “Christlike” manner was prevalent. At times the burden of doing what was “Christlike” was in direct conflict with what I felt to be true in my heart. I wanted to create a story that explored those themes and bridged the gap between Lorca’s 1936 drama and a contemporary audience. As I began to write, the story morphed and the characters began to take on a life of their own. When I finished the first draft I realized that there was a common theme running through each individual character arc. They were all simply trying to navigate their way through or to love. My original goal of creating a piece that incorporated the themes of The House of Bernarda Alba remained intact, but at its core I believe the play is really an exploration of love. What does it cost? What are you willing to sacrifice to possess it? And how do you negotiate the reality of love with what you’ve imagined it to be?

 ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT:

YORK WALKER is a playwright/actor originally from south suburbs of Chicago. His first and second full length plays, Summer Of ’63 and Of Dreams To Come, received workshops at the American Conservatory Theatre as a part of their new work initiative. His one act play, Death To Cupid, was produced by Benefit Of The Doubt Theatre Company in the summer of 2012.