Theatre Arts teamed up with Bunbury to produce the show as part of the department’s ongoing commitment to community outreach and connecting with other local and regional theatres.

“Master Harold and the Boys” runs through June 24 at the Henry Clay Theatre, 604 S. Third St.��

, UofL professor and head of graduate acting program, is directing, while , department chair, designed the lighting and set. The three-person cast features two recent graduates from the program, Tyler Madden and Cameron Murphy.

Kelly said the collaboration came about when he and Bunbury Producing Artistic Director Juergen K. Tossmann met and decided to work together. Kelly thought the play “Master Harold and the Boys” would work well for the Bunbury audience.

“This show has resonance with issues in the country today with the current political climate,” he said.

�ճ�����������,��������, is set in a small South African tea shop in 1950. In it, two black men and a white boy joke and dance together, defying the brutalities of apartheid through their joyous love. But issues of family, race and power fester just below the surface. A phone call triggers a catastrophic moment between them.

“Master Harold” ultimately explores the profound personal consequences of oppression.

“The sad echoes of the play are telegraphed in our own time and place,” Kelly said.  

Kelly said the actors have risen to the challenge, a sentiment reflected in a recent review.  

“Bunbury Theatre’s current offering, ‘Master Harold and the Boys,’ is a worthy production of a difficult and important play,” . “This is an excellent production of a masterful script. I truly hope we continue to see Kelly, Gawley and the other professors and students at UofL continue to reach out into the community and help usher quality work onto our stages.” 

To hear more from Kelly, Madden and Murphy about the show, tune into UofL Today with Mark Hebert at 6 p.m. June 18 on 93.9TheVille.��Or, on Soundcloud.

The production was first performed by the AATP in February.��

“The National Black Theatre Festival is the largest, most important venue for black theatre in the United States,” said , chair of the Department of Theatre Arts and director of “Baltimore.” “Our students will perform before audiences that include professional actors, directors, designers, theatre educators, agents, recruiters and the general public. It’s a terrific way to get our students and our program in the spotlight, in addition to great visibility for the African American Theatre Program.”

The African American Theatre Program has previously performed the plays, “Mr. Bluesman” (1997), “Monsieur Baptiste, the Con Man” (1999), “Steal Away” (2005), and “The Orphan’s Revenge” (2011) at the festival.

“Baltimore,” written by Boston playwright Kirsten Greenidge, centers on a racial incident that occurs in a New England college residence hall. The incident – a student draws a racist caricature on the door of an African-American student’s room – brings out an array of different beliefs in the students affected and living in the residence hall. The play provides social commentary on issues surrounding race, identity, sexual orientation and gender. The play also documents how difficult discussions of race and identity can be.

“It’s a terrific ensemble show with a very racially diverse cast and excellent performances by all,” Burton said.

Like all of the “Pittsburgh” plays, “Fences” explores the evolving African-American experience and race relations, among other universal themes. In it, the central character Troy Maxson is a former Negro League homerun king forced into retirement before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1946. A decade later, he struggles as a Pittsburgh garbage man – barely making ends meet. His youngest son, Cory, is a promising high school football star who bears the brunt of the demons that only Troy can see.

The play won every major prize when it debuted on Broadway in 1987, including the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and added to its award count during the 2010 Broadway revival starring Denzel Washington and Viola Davis.��A film version of the acclaimed Broadway revival is set to air this December.

, director of , is directing the production. Kelly has acted in half of Wilson’s 10-play cycle in major regional theaters across the U.S. and will draw heavily from those experiences.

“I wanted to direct this play because I am moved by the complexity and dynamics of black family relationships in the 1950s,” he said. “During that time, choices certain people had to make were limited and sometimes may have seemed socially unacceptable.��People like Troy did what they had to do to feed their children and support a family. For example, Troy felt obligated to commit a robbery as a young man.”

Thrust Theatre is located on UofL’s Belknap Campus, 2314 S. Floyd St. All plays start at 8 p.m. with 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday matinees. More information is .��