Robeson

In the mid-1930s, Paul Robeson was one of the most famous black entertainers in the world, winning raves for his performances in Showboat on Broadway, Othello in London, and for his many European concert tours. In 1936, after many years of living abroad, Robeson returns home to the U.S. to work on the film version of Showboat. However, he is eager to talk about his times overseas where he felt Negroes enjoyed many more freedoms than they did in the U.S. A major object of his admiration was The Soviet Union, which he felt was the societal model that the U.S. should emulate. Robeson freely gives these opinions to the press despite pleas from his wife and friends to tone down the rhetoric. Eventually, the rise of the Cold War between the U.S. and the USSR ultimately turns the American people against him, and Robeson finds himself called before the U.S. House Un-American Activities Committee – setting the stage for a dramatic showdown.

There is no matinee performance on Saturday, April 16.

Appropriate For Ages: 12 and older