American statesman and civil rights leader John Lewis passed away this summer, but his legacy lives on through the theater. Theatre East, the off-Broadway theater company partners with SMU Meadows School of the Arts and its Division of Theater for the “Wet Ink Series,” which features seven new plays by student theater artists. The plays will be live-streamed free on Nov. 9 and 10 at 7 p.m. featuring both student and professional actors under the direction of New York professionals and SMU faculty and alumni.
Each play is inspired by a quote from Lewis:
“Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year; it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”
The seven plays will be presented throughout the two-day livestream with three 10-minute plays on Nov. 9 and four 20-minute plays featured on Nov. 10 via Zoom.
“The plays deal with the here and now, in this age of COVID and social unrest,” SMU Associate Professor of Theater Benard Cummings says in a press release.
The partnership gives the area students an opportunity for exposure to a New York City professional theater ahead of graduation and to work with professional actors and directors from New York.
“We’re really excited about this opportunity to connect with Theatre East and to enable our playwrights, stage managers, and actors to make this connection and to see their work on a new platform,” Gretchen Smith, SMU Theater chair and head of the playwriting program says in the release.
The public is invited to watch all performances online. Attendance is free, but advance registration is required. Visit smu.edu/meadows/areasofstudy/theatre for more information and for the Zoom links to register or call the Meadows ticket office at 214-768-2787.
— Rich Lopez
