Reviewer: Kristine Gotham
Venue: Bay City Players
In 1955, 14 year-old, Emmett Till, was abducted, tortured and lynched in rural Mississippi, for allegedly offending a white woman. Till’s death brought to the forefront the violent persecutions of blacks around the country, leading Till to become a sort of Civil Rights icon.
Wendell Parker, a ten year veteran, directs the play. He has a personal connection to the story as he is a distant relation to Emmett Till. Parker feels that this is an important story to tell because due to his violent death, “Till changed the course of the Civil Rights Movement”.
To help visitors and audience members better understand the story, Parker has invited local author and playwright, B. Wendell Parker, to speak on Thursday evening, February 16, at the Double Tree Hotel in Bay City. Tickets to the event are available by contacting B Wendell Parker Productions. B. Wendell Parker will also be holding a Q&A after the play on opening night, Friday, February 17.
Still, Emmett Till strives to tell the story of race relations in the past and to reflect on how we have succeeded or failed to advance and move forward. The play opens on Friday, February 17 at Bay City Players and runs both Friday and Saturday. Tickets are available by contacting the Box Office.