New play 'Spirit of Detroit' explores the 1967 riots
According to a press release, the play "tells the story of two people, Anthony, a black man, and Lucy, a white woman, who return to Detroit after a long absence to find a very different city. They grew up on the east side in different worlds, only three blocks from each other; survived the 1967 riot/rebellion together; and meet again forty years later. As they revisit their past through Anthony’s paintings, they come to a new understanding of their relationship to each other and the future of the City. 'The Spirit of Detroit' reminds us why we stayed, why we left, why we came back and why we’re here now -Â the opportunity to create a 21st century Detroit."
"Spirit of Detroit" will incorporate paintings by African American, Detroit-based artists and documentary images from the riot; and the play's two characters experience the violence of the Algiers Motel incident - about which "Hiroshima" author John Hersey famously wrote - wherein police killed three unarmed black youths.
The play will have only two performances, on Saturday and Sunday, March 23-24, at 7 p.m., in the UMMA auditorium, 525 S. State St. in Ann Arbor. "Spirit" is a featured event in the LSA Theme Semester calendar, and admission is free. There will be a discussion after each performance about the impact of the 1967 events on the subsequent history of Detroit.
Jenn McKee is the entertainment digital journalist for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at jennmckee@annarbor.com or 734-623-2546, and follow her on Twitter @jennmckee.
Comments
Macabre Sunset
Tue, Mar 19, 2013 : 6:20 p.m.
No, Detroit was already in serious decline, and this greatly steepened the slope. Only someone tremendously removed the reality of urban decline would romanticize the riot as a "rebellion" of any kind. Rebellion implies an organized effort to overthrow a government. This was simply vandals on a very large and dangerous scale. More than 40 people died.
OutfieldDan
Tue, Mar 19, 2013 : 1:44 p.m.
Detroit was probably at it's apex at the time of the riots. This marked the beginning of the decline of a great city. I was there on Grand River at the time visiting home while a student at the University of Michigan. There were numerous fires in the neighborhoods and I was stupid and curious enough to go check one out. An angry croud confronted my car and I quickly reversed to get out of trouble. It was a close call. The scene is forever in my mind and I grieve for Detroit now.
Chip Reed
Tue, Mar 19, 2013 : 10:15 a.m.
In addition to police, National Guard troops were also involved in this incident.