On Feb. 9, I attended Sinclair Theater’s production of “The Meeting” by Jeff Stetson. The play depicts what a meeting between civil rights activists Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X may have been like. After speaking to Shaun Diggs, who starred in the show, I knew this was something I had to see for myself.
One of the many things I enjoyed about this show was its dynamic opening. Rather than going straight into the meeting of the two men, the show opens with Malcolm X waking up on a couch in a hotel room, seemingly startled by a dream he had. Also in this beginning portion, Malcolm X and Rashad, his bodyguard, begin singing a portion of Billie Holiday’s song “You Don’t Know What Love Is.” We get a glimpse into Malcolm’s personal life as he speaks about his wife and children.
Despite what it may seem like at first glance, this show makes heavy use of humor. Malcolm X and Dr. King even engage in a friendly arm-wrestling match. The jokes help to create a relationship beyond that of two activists and shine a light on their personalities. Within this show, the audience sees Malcolm X and Dr. King’s demeanors go from casual to more serious – and back again – on several occasions. This is important because this show is not just about the issue of race in America; it is about two human beings.
We know that Malcolm X and Dr. King had their disagreements on what to do about civil rights. However, in “The Meeting,” the two don’t just have points of contention; they are looking out for each other. Malcolm criticizes Dr. King’s writing – and vice versa – but does so because he wants progress. They both want a future in which their people can live without fear of losing their lives, including their own. They each offer their “protection” to the other.
Also part of this experience was a discussion with panelists such as Dr. Venita Kelley and Sinclair faculty member Faheem Curtis-Khidr. This discussion included topics such as ethnocentrism from the ‘either-or’ mindset and the concept of solutionism. The panelists gave excellent information and shared thoughts that enriched what I took away from this production.
If you want to learn more about Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I highly suggest reading and viewing related materials such as “The Autobiography of Malcolm X.” Sinclair English professor Furaha Henry-Jones and student Khensani Ngwena also prepared a discussion guide for “The Meeting.”
Additionally, if you’re interested in seeing more of what the Sinclair Theater has to offer, there is a production of “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical” scheduled for April 1 through 9. Tickets range from $15-18 and can be purchased here.
Carly Webster
Reporter