‘An evening’ of great talent
at Cheltenham High

By Rita Charleston
For the Times

Danny Glover has appeared in a variety of film, stage and television roles, and is probably best known as police Sgt. Roger Murtaugh in the Lethal Weapon movie series, and his role as the abusive husband in The Color Purple.
Felix Justice is an acclaimed actor and director whose acting credits include Blues for Mr. Charlie, Henry V, The River Niger, and has directed such projects as Luv, The Blood Knot and others.
The highly-talented and acclaimed pair will once again join forces in An Evening with Martin and Langston on Tuesday, March 20, as part of the Cheltenham Township Adult School Five Star Forum at Cheltenham High School in Elkins Park.
Focusing on the words of Langston Hughes and Martin Luther King Jr., the evening is a one-of-a-kind performance and theatrical readings. Glover brings to life the words of Hughes, one of the most respected of the country’s African-American writers. And Justice virtually transforms into the legendary civil rights leader, recreating the power of the man and his message.
"We decided to do this particular piece about fifteen years ago because I’m a follower of Martin Luther King and so is Danny," Justice explained. "We wanted to delve into parts of these men that the average citizen doesn’t know about. We’re doing it in a way to provide enlightenment to our audience.
"And doing the men together became a natural occurrence," Justice continued. "I was already doing Martin Luther King on some college campuses alone, and Danny was doing Langston Hughes. Danny has a strong interest in the Harlem Renaissance. He has read a lot. I think Langston Hughes is the person who stood out for him, because for one thing, he was such a great poet."
Absolutely, added Glover.
"I’ve always admired Hughes’ work, and reading it for some time at various venues, along with other poets, started to put it in perspective," he said. "So when Felix and I discussed possibilities, we felt it would be apropos for us to combine the work of both Langston and Martin because of their ideas, the manifestation of dreams and the process of changing reality."
Justice explained that his piece is designed to give an overview of King’s life called Prophecy in America.
"It’s a piece I wrote that goes back to his early days. It talks about his philosophical basis of non-violent direct action and goes to the point of his actual interest in current affairs. I also talk about his opposition to war in Vietnam. Martin Luther King was one of the first prominent voices to come out against that war," he said.
Glover explained that he does basically the same thing with the works of Hughes.
"His artistic life was pretty fascinating, but he was also a social critic," he said. "In fact, if we look at his work during the period of the Harlem Renaissance, we begin to see how he brings forth this new presence of African-American urbanization during the period as he evolves. The disillusionment and also the psychological challenges during the Thirties and the Depression, as well as the hope at the beginning of the Fifties and the birth of the civil rights movement, are all part of who and what Hughes was."
At the end of the performance, Glover and Justice will give the audience a chance to participate in a Q&A.
"The audience is often humbled by the vision of these men, and their main question is how their visions are being realized today," Glover concluded. ••
The program begins at 8 p.m. For ticket information, call 215-887-1720.