University of Massachusetts Boston - Beacon Yearbook (Boston, MA)

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E 3 .S Q 2 These four characters, the tenant farmer, the black youth raised in the suburbs, the black militant and Mar- tin Luther King Ir., continue to be portrayed as the production continues. Al Eaton is actually depicting the lives of these three men and their response to Martin Lu- ther King Ir. and the civil rights movement. The tenant farmer eventually confronts his flaws and decides to join the march on Washington, making his new motto make way for the children. The black suburbanite begins to implement non-violent techniques as well, as he pre- pares for the march. The black militant becomes disillusioned with the lack of unity among the Panthers and the lack of impact their ideology was having in solving racial issues. As a result, he supports King once more. Al Eaton then closes it out with a powerful excerpt from King's famous I've been to the Mountain Top speech. The entire production truely portrays the hope that King instilled in many people from different back- grounds. Al Eaton's performance was so real that it felt as if you were actually reliving the civil rights movement through three very different sets of eyes. His imitation of King was powerful and genuine. The result was very effective and moving. The audience's eyes began to swell as Eaton's production came to a climactic close. Indeed Ea- ton succeeded in making this evening a real tribute to Martin Luther King Ira ePam Wilkcusmz iv W A 1,12 1 J ka ,an .1 A S -, x X .QS X993 ,Ln

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His Name Wa Martin. . . if 2 Li' '16 ... rw - 7 3 E' F . 0 ' Z fi is ,.,,,+ .ff 'QQ N ww- --wmwswm... iwwv- .w..,4ve.X4.m.tL-A.+bQslQ'ta2im4y.ivf.tiN,i.is.,, April fourth, 1986, was the eighteenth anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King. On this night, the Black Student Center, the office of the Vice Chancellor for the Division of Student Affairs, sponsored a production that celebrated the spirit and impact of Rev- erend King. In a one-man performance, Al Eaton of City Stage Company portrayed the life and times of Martin Luther King. His energy captivated the audience as he reenacted the impact of the civil rights movement. The opening scene begins with Al Eaton as a tenant farmer named Willie Smith who is confronted with this new movement called civil rights . He describes the be- ginning of the movement as he tells of Rosa Park's bold incident on the bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Then Al Eaton with a quick costume change, begins delivering a powerful section of Martin Luther King Irfs speech enti- tled We shall overcome. Next, he assumes his role as a tenant farmer and expresses his reluctance to become in- volved with the movement. He depicts with powerful Photographs by Ioe Marchese passion the terror that the Klu Klux Klan imposes on him and how they force him to mind his own business like he was supposed to be doing. The next character that Eaton portrays is Nathaniel B. Wright, a young black, brought up in an all white afflu- ent community. As he states, My parents were polite enough to not mention that I was a Negro. Nathaniel expresses his frustration with this identity crisis. His ex- posure to an all white society has left him confused as to what a black man should be and how to act. He then decides to go to the NAACP to join the cause and to discover how to be truely black. The fourth transition has much intensity and realism. A sharp contrast is made as Al Eaton changes character from Nathanal B. Wright to a black militant involved with the black panthers. This scene portrays the disillu- sionment that many blacks were feeling toward King's non-violent practices. This movement states, I got no more cheeks to turn, in response to putting christian morals into practice in his fight against racism. His dia- logue is intense and filled with the conviction as he de- scribes in detail the horror that his family experienced from the KKK as a result of their non-violent protests. He has lost hope and feels his only solution is to retali- ate. His hatred towards the whites who despise him an the injustice he is forced to live with is evident. 24 I

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The Hellenic Student Assoc .+.rt Lower Row: Christos Azigoustznux, Nasus Plzzlzppapoulos, Plzzllzs Murata Stelzos Delzdaki Debbie Kalfsas, Vagrlis Falaras. Upper Row: Lztsa Tzerzizdi, Vasilxs Nassiupoulos, Pop: Koukouraki, Klemzs Tsourzthis George Bakopoulo A club with many friends and many activities. Throughout the whole semester it has been a place for relaxing, fun, study and friendly atmosphere. The president, Naso Philippopoulos, Vice President George Bakopoulos, Secretary Vasilis Noussiopoulos, Treasurer Stelios Delideikis, and members of the club have always done their best to provide any sort of information to those who are interested in any Helenic QGreekJ subject. The H.S.A. has been re-established the last year, bringing onto campus many warm and elegant events full of pure and original customs in the Helenic tra- dition. For the new academic year we definitely intend to maintain and grow with activities which we plan to share with all the UMass stu- dents. Welcome to Hellas, the birth place of the western civilization. E f'NH5t7S Pllilippopozllos