Over the past two weeks, I had the joyful opportunity to workshop a new play by the great playwright Pearl Cleage: SOMETHING MOVING: A MEDITATION ON MAYNARD. Commissioned by Ford's Theatre as part of their Legacy Commissions program, Pearl's play focuses on the 1973 election of Maynard Jackson, who became the first African American mayor of a major southern city, Atlanta, Georgia. The play urges us to remember this time, when individuals across identities worked as a collective and something good seemed within reach. An ensemble piece, the play is galvanizing and vital. Pearl, who worked on Maynard Jackson's campaigns and served as his press secretary, shared insights, made adjustments, and was a generous collaborator with the actors and me as we pealed back the layers of the script to understand and embody the story. More information on the next steps for this play will be announced soon.

Pictured above: Pearl Cleage on the iPad, Lincoln on the wall, and the team workshopping SOMETHING MOVING: A MEDITATION ON MAYNARD.

Playwright: Pearl Cleage

Director: Seema Sueko

Dramaturgs: Sheldon Epps, Sydné Mahone

Composer/Musician: Eugene H. Russell IV

Stage Manager: Brandon Prendergast

Festival Production Assistant: Sara Gehl

The Ford's Theatre Staff

Actors:

Kim Bey

Doug Brown

Guadalupe Campos

Heather Ledamyen

Tendo Nsubuga

Tuyet Thi Pham

Erika Rose

Kimberly Schraf

Awa Sal Secka

Tom Story