Sixth graders see ‘The Mountaintop’ on Broadway

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By Todd Thaxton
6th Grade Parent

This December, the MCS 6th grade went to see the play “The Mountaintop,” a fictional depiction of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Samuel L. Jackson) on the night before he was assassinated.  The play discusses some controversial themes and characterizations not commonly discussed in an open forum, and, in my experience, very seldom in private conversations.

In this age of reality shows and YouTube overload, where private and personal moments of public figures, pop-icons, celebrities, and even the most ordinary of private lives is laid bare to the world, it was very interesting to see and hear the reactions of the audience as we had to reconcile what the story presented against the iconic image we have used to inspire and motivate us.

The intense reaction of the audience was telling; the portrayal of Dr. King, the cultural/spiritual leader, as an ordinary person with frailties, weaknesses, fears and indiscretions, was obviously uncomfortable.  In the first few minutes of the play we are introduced to a tired and slightly under the weather Dr. King as he seeks relief from the stresses of his day, asking for coffee and cigarettes, going about the basics of human existence.  We see flashes of fear as he carefully peers through the curtains, looks for hidden listening devices in his room, and is startled by the thunder and lightning of the stormy night.

The character of Camae (Angela Basset) is introduced as the maid who is sent to bring him coffee and a newspaper.  The attraction between the two; Dr. King  to her beauty, and Camae to his celebrity, grows more apparent as the story progresses, as does the nervous laughter and vocalizations in the audience.  The tension between the characters grows as he continues to complement her, and as she shares with him cigarettes and a flask; as they talk and get to know one another.  The tension in the audience grows as well, every time they get closer to each other, when he talks to his wife on the phone, as they discuss their thoughts and feelings, reaching a crescendo at a pivotal moment in the play when King and Camae fall into an intimate embrace.  At this point in the story, King breaks down and starts sobbing, but the audience, seemingly anticipating this as a titillating moment, laughs for almost a minute as they think that Jackson has broken character and is laughing.  This audience laughter shifts suddenly to a solemn hush as they come to realize that King, still in character, has opened up to Camae emotionally.  As the rest of the story unfolds and Camae reveals her true purpose, the audience becomes more accepting… or forgiving.  As the final revelatory scenes play out, the focus shifts from the man and his “humanness” to the man: his hopes, ideals and dreams.

Another interesting reaction I saw was of my son, who, in a subsequent class assignment to write a thank you letter to Mr. Jackson,  commented on Camae’s speeches.  Everything he has learned about Dr. King has come from history textbooks, newspaper articles, and the many snippets of TV newsreels replayed in school classrooms over these many decades, or on various media channels during Black History month.  My son’s realization of the tremendous anger, frustration and resentment felt by blacks at the time was brought to light by language that would never be used in a classroom setting, spoken with emotion even stronger than the words that were used.  All that he had learned up to this point never really conveyed to him the magnitude of what people felt or the toll it took on them emotionally and physically.  I had a realization as well; of how far removed his generation is from those events, emotions and conflicts.

Mr. Jackson met with the class after the performance to answer their questions, and discuss the story.  The kids asked many questions and Mr. Jackson answered them clearly and honestly.  He spoke about his own experiences during the time period of the play, how he felt things have progressed since Dr. King’s death, and how it is affected by the current economy.  He stressed the importance of continuing to stand up for your rights, the importance of education and preparedness.  He talked about how people react to the play and its premise, and how he hoped it would inspire them.  The kids really seemed to enjoy the conversation and afterwards they got autographs and a group picture with Mr. Jackson.

I think it will be interesting to see how the kids will use this experience to reflect upon what it means to be inspired, to have dreams and turn them into ideals; to be motivated and to motivate others, and how important it is to have others to trust, to confide in, and to draw support from.

Photos by Todd Thaxton.