Tired of ads? Subscribers enjoy a distraction-free reading experience.
Click here to subscribe today or Login.

DALLAS — At Misericordia University, Martin Luther King Day lasts all week.

Starting Jan. 16, the university will celebrate the African American civil rights leader with performances, screenings, panels and more during a week-long series of events. King will even be in attendance himself — as one of the main characters in “The Meeting,” a theatrical production that plays out a hypothetical meeting between King and his contemporary, Malcolm X. The play, which takes place in a Harlem hotel in 1965, explores what may have happened had the two discussed their philosophies.

According to “The Meeting” director Larkis Weber, the play lays out the two activist’s contrasting viewpoints and challenges the audience to consider other options.

“The play is really a platform for people to share their views,” said Weber, who will also play Malcolm X in Jan. 18’s production of “The Meeting.”

“To share their sentiment regardless of who’s in the audience, regardless of who likes it or not. It’s really a basic platform for candid discussion on not just your personal views, but also what you think needs to be done or can be done to make things better,” Weber said.

The production takes place 6:30 p.m. Jan. 19 in Walsh Hall on Misericordia University’s campus. The next day, African American spoken word poet, Lady Caress, will close out the week with a performance in the university’s Banks Student Life Center.

Lady Caress strives to tackle issues like female empowerment, sexual boundaries and body shaming with an inclusive tone that uses humor and wordplay to put her audience at ease.

“That’s a big part of it,” Lady Caress said. “My goal is to make poetry entertaining to people who don’t like poetry. I use music and comedy and beat boxing in there, and it’s more like a conversation than you would think. It’s poetry, but it really is an interesting take on it.”

She’s most excited to perform her new work, “Protest in Anarchy,” which she said is about the climate on college campuses and “how to cautiously move forward in that kind of climate, specifically racial climate.”

She will also perform a piece entitled “The Rapid Death of Blacks.”

“I highlight some of the issues in the African American community and I play on some of the racial things that are happening in a playful way, just to kind of lighten the mood and get everybody comfortable with hearing those topics,” Lady Caress said.

Misericordia University students will share their viewpoints during the week’s schedule. A panel discussion entitled “Black Lives Matter,” held 6:30 p.m. Jan. 17 at the institution’s Insalaco Hall, will feature a student-centric panel that includes junior communications major Lena Williams.

“We’re going to talk about some of the issues that are going on within the black community, within America and some of the issues we’re facing — whether it’s politically, socially or the problems within ourselves,” Williams said.

Dallas, Texas native Lady Caress learned about her spoken word poetry abilities while serving on her high school’s debate team. Since then she has used her talents to discuss a variety of difficult issues in an alternative format.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/web1_Lady-Caress-untoned-1.jpg.optimal.jpgDallas, Texas native Lady Caress learned about her spoken word poetry abilities while serving on her high school’s debate team. Since then she has used her talents to discuss a variety of difficult issues in an alternative format. Submitted photo

Larkis Webber produced the play ‘The Meeting’ at a Baltimore venue for the last five years. The production centers around a hypothetical meeting between civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/web1_Larkis-Webber-untoned-2-1.jpg.optimal.jpgLarkis Webber produced the play ‘The Meeting’ at a Baltimore venue for the last five years. The production centers around a hypothetical meeting between civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X. Submitted photo

https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/web1_martinlutherking-1.jpg.optimal.jpgSubmitted photo
Martin Luther King Week includes visiting artists and a forum for students

By Gene Axton

[email protected]

Martin Luther King Day events

Noon Jan. 16: A prayer service for peace and understanding in the world, held in the Misericordia University Chapel in Mercy Hall. The service will feature traditional prayer offerings and blessings by leaders from numerous faiths and religions.

11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 16: Sign the Charter for Compassion in the lobby of the Banks Student Life Center. To see the entire text, go to charterforcompassion.org.

Dr. King’s ‘I Have A Dream’ speech will air on television monitors across campus.

11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 17: Sign the United Nations Pledge Against Racism in the lobby of the Banks Student Life Center. Soul food items will be available at Metz Dining Hall from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

6:30 p.m. Jan. 17: ‘Black Lives Matter’ student panel discussion in rooms 218-219 of Insalaco Hall.

Noon Jan. 18: A showing of the film ‘Ethnic Notions’ in rooms 218-219 Insalaco Hall. The film examines anti-black stereotypes that permeated popular culture from the antebellum period until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. A discussion will follow the film and participants can bring a lunch.

6:30 p.m. Jan. 19: Theatrical presentation of ‘The Meeting,’ Lemmond Theater in Walsh Hall.

9 p.m. Jan. 21: Performance by poet Lady Caress, Cougar’s Den of the Banks Student Life Center.

Reach Gene Axton at 570-991-6121 or on Twitter @TLArts