A Midsummer Nights Melodrama on the Tragedy of Slavery
A new play by Don Wilson Glenn, directed by Jaye Austin Williams.
Presented by Damaris Webb in association with PassinArt
funded in part by the Regional Arts & Culture Council
Willamette Week chooses American King Umps as a Fertile Ground pick!
Listento our director being interviewed by KBOO’s Dmae Roberts, Producer/Host of Stage and Studio along with Nicole Lane of The Fertile Ground Festival & Bruce Livingston of PlayWrite, Inc.The Oregonian chooses American King Umps as a Fertile Ground Pick!
January 30th – February 16th
- 1/30 – 2/2: Thur, Fri, Sat 7pm, Sun 3pm
- 2/6 – 2/9:Thur, Fri, Sat 7pm, Sun 3pm
- 2/13 – 2/16:Thur, Fri, Sat 7pm, Sun 3pm
and added Sat 2/15 3pm ASL performance playing at Ethos/IFCC as part of The Fertile Ground Festival.
5340 N Interstate Avenue
Set during the Civil War on the King Cotton Plantation in West Texas, the story of American King Umps begins as the Master of the Plantation, fearing the oncoming of the Union Army, sells his large holding of slaves and and sets fire to the cotton fields. In the Master’s absence the slaves are left both to govern themselves, and define their own identities.King Umps is high comedy and satire from beginning to end, a mash up of Gone With the Wind and Comedy of Errors meets Roots.
Incorporating the playwrights Great-Great-Grandfathers stories of slavery with mistaken identities, vaudeville and farce, this celebration of Juneteenth allows us, through humor, a deeper journey into the tragedy of slavery and a chance to reflect on how this chapter of the American Experience continues to impact us today.
Tickets are $20 general, $10 students/seniors, and are available at the door for cash purchase 30 minutes before curtain, or in advance at brownpapertickets.
with: Kenneth Dembo, Jennifer Lanier, Kourtney Newell, Paul Susi, Harold Warren and Damaris Webb
design: Lara Klingeman and Wanda Walden
Production Stage Manager: Nathan Brauner
photo credit: Lara Klingeman
Performances are ADA accessible.