THE MOUNTAINTOP
Capital Repertory Theatre
On April 3, 1968, after delivering one of his most memorable speeches, an exhausted Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. retires to his room at the Lorraine Motel while a storm rages outside. When a mysterious stranger arrives with some surprising news, Dr. King is forced to confront his destiny and his legacy to his people.
concept rendering
Epilogue, video montage: from 1968 to the present day
show portal (indicated in green) blended with existing architecture
five video projectors blended to engulf the auditorium
THE MOUNTAINTOP by Katori Hall
Capital Repertory Theatre
director Nick Mangano
scenic design David Esler
lighting design Michael Giannitti
projection design Brian Massman
costume design Carolyn Walker
sound design David Thomas
cast: Brandon Jones, Liz Morgan
photos & video by David Esler, Joe Schuyler
In a startling realization even before the play starts, we recognize that we’re looking from the opposite perspective, from inside the hotel room, at that iconic and doomed photo of King and his friends Ralph Abernathy and Jessie Jackson, taken in front of Room 306 on April 3, 1968. The next day, King will be killed by an assassin’s bullet while standing on that same balcony. (The effective design is by David Esler).
– Steve Barnes, Albany Times-Union
The quality of the production at Cap Rep does the work proud. There is authenticity and immediacy in the details of the set, designed by David Esler, and a remarkable video sequence late in the play, designed by Brian Massman and projected all around the audience, immerses us in a breakneck tour of our memories of where we have been since that bleak day in Memphis. ...Director Nick Mangano imparts an urgency and electricity to the piece, and makes full use of Cap Rep’s in-your-face intimacy."
–Phil Drew, The Troy Record
The smart set design by David Esler and lighting design by Michael Giannitti combine to perfectly conjure up the loneliness and isolation of an Edward Hopper painting. Director Nick Mangano has created 90 minutes of captivating theater.
– Greg Haymes, Nippertown.com
Everything about the production design commits itself to that single night in Memphis. From the 1960s décor, to rain trickling down the balcony or snow at the door, the audience lives those few hours with Dr. King. And that’s what makes the play truly remarkable.
– Christopher Clemente, NY Theatre Guide
The production is wonderful. Every jot and tittle of David Esler’s set, Michael Giannitti’s lighting, Carolyn Walker’s costumes, David Thomas’ sound, and Brian Massman’s projections are apt to the time period and crisply executed.
– Paul Lamar, Schenectady Daily Gazette