In ’ new production, “Detroit ’67,” by Dominique Morisseau, main characters Chelle and her brother, Lank, are running an unlicensed after-hours juke joint out of their basement. It’s a risky business, especially during a brutal police crackdown that sets off riots throughout the city. When Lank offers refuge to a mysterious stranger, he and Chelle clash. Pent-up emotions erupt, and they navigate the chaos both outside and within.

“Detroit ’67” is directed by Johnny Jones and runs Thursday, Jan. 26 through Sunday, Feb. 2 in Thrust Theatre, with a community night on Thursday, Jan. 30, which features a talk back and all tickets are discounted to $10. for specific dates and times.

The play is a part of Morisseau’s “Detroit Project,” which explores the complicated yet hopeful history of her hometown. While her other plays, “Pipeline” and “Skeleton Crews,” have been staged in Louisville, “Detroit ‘67” has not. This is its Louisville debut.  

Jones, who also directs UofL’s , said the play touches on universal themes of family, love and survival. Detroit, the quintessential American city, falls apart, but the people there live on.

“Detroit is never the same after the riot, that neighborhood is never the same, but you still have the people survive it. What we all want to believe is that we can all overcome situations and challenges,” he said.  

, a graduate Theatre Arts student, is playing Chelle for her thesis role. She recently corresponded with UofL News about her experience.

UofL News: What made you choose UofL’s Theatre Arts program?

Tia Ade-Salu: I was extremely attracted to the Graduate and its inclusion of African theatrical practices. Based on my past experience as an actor, I knew that it was important for me to receive advanced training that included techniques and theories related to my cultural heritage.

UofL News: What do you like about the role you’re playing? What attracts you to it?

Tia Ade-Salu: One thing I love is that Chelle and I have so many similarities. We’re both the eldest siblings in our families, stern, sentimental, afraid to let go of people and objects that are familiar to us, and careful planners. Another thing I love is that the playwright (whose also a fellow Michigan alumna) made sure the character had complexity. Even though Chelle is wise and able to judge people, she still has a few blind spots of her own.

UofL News: What do you think audiences will take from the show?

Tia Ade-Salu: There’s nothing wrong with dreamin’! I believe that’s the biggest message from the play. No matter how many deaths, disappointments, or destruction occur in one’s life, dreams are necessary for renewal and growth. Without them, there is no reason for living. For Chelle, in particular, the dream of undying love, is what will keep her going.

UofL News: What do you plan to do when you graduate?

Tia Ade-Salu:��I plan to continue exploring new theatrical works and film that illuminate my heritage. As a first-generation Yoruba-American I’ve had a long road towards discovering my true identity and how to use it in my artistry. With my own acting studio, The WAY, I will help other actors specify their identities and use them to deepen their craft as well.

to purchase tickets to “Detroit ’67,” which runs Jan. 26-Feb. 2 in Thrust Theatre.  

to see pictures of the show. 

Director Johnny Jones, who serves as head of the African American Theatre Program, leads audiences to “the promised land” by honoring a moment in history that forever changed the nation — the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

UofL graduate students LaShondra Hood and Xavier Harris lead the production, which is the Department’s first of the season. Hood, a third-year MFA Performance candidate, will perform her thesis role of Camae alongside Harris, a second-year MFA candidate who plays Dr. King.

“The Mountaintop” reimagines the night before the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 3, 1968. During the night, King receives a visit from Camae, a motel maid, as he wrestles with the idea of leaving earth before seeing his dream of freedom and equality for all people come to fruition. King wonders who will pick up the baton once he passes on. He soon realizes that the legacy that he leaves behind is more significant than he could ever imagine.

The theme for the Theatre Arts Department’s mainstage season is “Stories from the Past, Lessons for the Future.” Per the 50^th-year anniversary of King’s assassination, the assassination of Robert Kennedy, and the Protests of 1968, “The Mountaintop” is a fitting production for an ideal time to ask ourselves, “Where do we go from here?”

“Dr. King said anybody can be great because anybody can serve,”  said Professor Johnny Jones. “There are still people in this world who are serving and doing just that for the sake of others. This play speaks to that particular opportunity of us being able to help each other, being able to uplift each other, and to be able to give each other testimony and to share our joys, our pains, and our sorrows with one another as we overcome.”

“The Mountaintop” opens Sept. 20 and runs through Sept. 30. Ticket prices are $20 General Admission; $15 for Faculty/Staff/Seniors (65+)/non-UofL Students (with Student ID) and $10 for Current UofL Students (with Student ID). Tickets may be purchased  or by contacting the box office at 502-852-6814.