UofL Theatre Arts debuts new play that examines race on college campuses

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — University of Louisville Theatre Arts will stage “Baltimore” a new play about the complexities of race on college campuses for the first time in Louisville, Feb. 2-6 and Feb. 9-12 in Thrust Theatre.  

The play, written by Kirsten Greenidge, is part of the Big Ten Theatre Consortium’s New Play Initiative, which is dedicated to commissioning works by female playwrights to be produced at universities across the country.

“Baltimore” tells the story of Shelby Wilson, an African-American resident adviser for a diverse group of freshmen at a New England college. When a racist caricature is drawn a black student’s dorm door, Wilson is forced to confront her belief that she lives in a post-racial society as she finds the courage to facilitate honest conversations about difference.

The play references actual events, such as the riots in Ferguson, Mo., the Black Lives Matter movement and the deaths of Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, Freddie Gray and Sandra Bland.

Nefertiti Burton, theatre department chair, is directing. The play’s themes couldn’t be more relevant given current events and the socio-political climate, she said.

“With the conversations that are taking place in the public sphere, I fear things aren’t going to get better easily. We’re going to have to really work together to build a society that benefits us all,” Burton said. “This play has lessons we can all benefit from, about how to talk to each other and value and respect each other.”

The audience will have a chance to respond to the play in writing in the lobby.

“We’ll bring the play out to the lobby space, in a sense, because it’s very much about hearing and seeing and speaking to people in an authentic way, so we want to create that opportunity for the audience,” Burton said.

Thrust Theatre is on UofL’s Belknap Campus, 2314 S. Floyd St. All plays start at 8 p.m. with 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday matinees. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $12 for faculty, alumni and seniors and $8 for UofL students. Season tickets are $50. To order tickets or for more information, call the box office at (502) 852-6814 or click here.

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