Before freedom fighters emerge as changemakers, they were children– a notion that intrigued award-winning playwright, director, and actor, Psalmayene 24 to create “Young John Lewis: Prodigy of Protest,” running from March 26– May 4 at the Atlas Performing Arts Center in Northeast D.C., and presented by Mosaic Theater Company.
A hip-hop-based musical directed by Reginald L. Douglas and with music by Grammy-nominated artist Koyaki, the new play not only reveals the roots of the title character, civil rights icon and late congressman, but honors his legacy as the nation navigates, political and societal division and continued racial inequities.
“Sadly, we’re still dealing with a lot of the same kinds of obstacles, problems, and roadblocks that John Lewis often encountered in his life, especially as he entered adulthood,” Psalmayene 24, often called “Psalm,” told The Informer. “Sure, they may have had a different face or façade, but prejudice and the inhumane treatment of others based simply on their being different remains a disturbing element of American society.”…