Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre will stage Anna Deavere Smith’s award-winning one-woman play TWILIGHT: LOS ANGELES, 1992 from September 11 – 26, 2021, with Chicago actress Jazzma Pryor portraying nearly four-dozen people who were connected either directly or indirectly to the 1992 Los Angeles riots that erupted after the trial and acquittal of the police officers accused of assaulting Rodney King. Fleetwood-Jourdain Artistic Director Tim Rhoze, who will direct the production.
TWILIGHT: LOS ANGELES, 1992, directed by Tim Rhoze and featuring Jazzma Pryor, tells the story of the Los Angeles riots in the aftermath of the 1991 Rodney King beating, from a variety of perspectives. Smith has collected fragments of monologues derived for actual interviews that both invite and provoke conversation. This timely, powerful performance play raises questions about race, power, truth, and justice. It reveals how myths, misinformation, and misunderstanding can lead not only to prejudice and stereotyping but also violence.
TWILIGHT takes Smith’s interviews with more than 300 people about their reactions to the events related to the 1992 riots and weaves them into a series of monologues and real-life “characters.” Her script depicts such public officials as LAPD chief Daryl Gates and Congresswoman Maxine Waters; a nameless juror on the police trial; victims and instigators of violence in South Central; and residents of greater Los Angeles with their own view of the events, including opera singer Jessye Norman and actor Charlton Heston. The original Broadway production was nominated in 1994 for a Tony Award for Best Play and won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding One-Person Show.
Actress Jazzma Pryor performs this one-woman show playing over 40 characters in a series of monologues and performances. She said the COVID-19 pandemic helped her to prepare. She said, “Because our dates kept getting pushed back, it allowed me more time to sit with each character and put time into each”. She holds a B.A. from Clemson University. No stranger to the Chicago theatre scene, she has appeared in performances around Chicago including, “Doubt: A Parable”, “Hannah and Martin”, “Crime and Punishment”, “From the Mississippi Delta, and Sunset Baby” and more.
Chicago Defender: How did you prepare to play so many different characters?
Jazzma Pryor: It was a lot of studying and research. I wanted to honor each of them as people. This play features actual human beings so it was important to give them each their due respect and time. With each character, I’ll ask myself, “What does this person’s voice sound like?”, “How does this person sit or stand?”, How does he/she walk”? It allows me to bring their humanity to the performance.
Chicago Defender: Twilight tackles such a polarizing moment in our history, the LA Riots, and Rodney King Verdict. What makes this play relevant today?
Jazzma Pryor: It still boggles my mind that decades later we are still fighting for our voices to be heard and considered truth with or without video. They had a video of the Rodney King beating just like they did with George Floyd. The anger really hit home for me. I couldn’t help but think about my black dad, brothers, family, and friends. It’s hard. Black people see all these things and are expected to go to work as if nothing happened. It’s part of our reality and it’s heart-wrenching. I understood that anger. I can’t believe we are still dealing with this.
Chicago Defender: The subject matter is intense and playing so many characters involved had to be intense as well. How did you keep your mind and spirit at ease?
Jazzma Pryor: I had to compartmentalize. I have been good at that most of my life, so I think I was used to it. I think if we opened in 2020 as planned it would have been harder for me. Having time to sit with these characters over the past year and allow the emotions from them to flow was a blessing.
Chicago Defender: What do you hope audiences take away from “Twilight”?
Jazzma Pryor: I hope audiences see we are still fighting for equality and justice. I hope they understand when violence happens to us, it affects everyone’s lives. I want audiences to see the humanity in all the characters I play, whether you agree with them or not.
“Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992” runs through September 26 at the Noyes Cultural Arts Center. 927 Noyes Street, Evanston IL. $25 tickets are available here.
Danielle Sanders is a journalist and writer living in Chicago. Find her on social media @DanieSanders20 and @DanieSandersOfficial.
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