IU groups collaborate to perform play

The IU School of Education, Arts in Education Club, Department of Theatre and Drama and Office of Multicultural Initiatives are teaming up to put on a public performance of the theatrical production of Anna Deavere Smith’s “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992.” The performances will be March 25 and 26 at a site still to be determined.

“Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992” is labeled as “documentary theater” that explores the consequences of the 1992 Los Angeles riots that began after jurors acquitted police officers charged with the beating of Rodney King, according to the School of Education’s website.

Will Johnston and Katie Golonka are the volunteer directors for this performance. Johnston is a 2010 alumnus who majored in secondary education and is the alumni adviser for the Arts in Education Club.

Golonka is a senior majoring in theater and drama and represents the theater department in this collaboration.

“This is going to take a team,” Johnston said.

The School of Education and Office of Multicultural Initiatives teamed up for the first time last year to put on “The Laramie Project,” which was a success, according to Gustave Weltsek, project faculty adviser of the Department of Literacy, Culture and Language Education.

“It was a very powerful program. People like myself who didn’t know much about the history of Matthew Shepard learned a great deal. We hope that this program will also raise awareness in our community,” said Babita Upadhyay, special projects coordinator for the Office of Multicultural Initiatives.

Johnston was involved in “The Laramie Project” last year as a student performer.

“This year we invite people from all over the IU-Bloomington family to use theater to explore the very serious tensions which arise through ideas of cultural, class, gender and race,” Weltsek said.

“The ‘Twilight: Los Angeles,1992’ is related to an unfortunate incident that took place in our country not very long ago,” Upadhyay said. “We would like people to remember it, learn from it, so that we can take steps to ensure it won’t happen again.”

There were three open callouts that resulted in 37 main characters, Weltsek said, because it is a performance of monologues. The production will also include footage of the real Los Angeles riots.

“We want to create space for dialogue about these issues,” Gustave said. “We’re not so concerned about the performance as we are about familiarizing ourselves with each other about the journey.”